


Vencuyanir

by oloreaa



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: (more) accurate childcare, Canon Rewrite, Character Study, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Gen, Missing Scenes, Mutual Pining, Relationship Study, Slow Burn, Unresolved Tension, Worldbuilding, canon fix it, eventual smut in the future, for those parts that I don't like, including the writer, painfully slow burn that will make everyone scream, they both think its unrequited love but they are just stupid, this will be Long buckle up my friends, very self indulgent which means: every trope is in here hehe, watch me carefully balancing between star wars canon and worldbuilding of my own, will span through the seasons I'm writing as fast as I can y'all
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 106,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26043190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oloreaa/pseuds/oloreaa
Summary: vencuyanir [ven-COO-yah-neer]: sustain, keep alive, preserveAbout to be taken away from Arvala-7, Elana only has two objectives: keeping Bean alive and getting away from the Mandalorian~The Mandalorian's helmet then snapped around to her, and she flinched again. "Are you its caretaker?" he asked gruffly. Elana barely managed to nod, scared out of her wits.He was quiet for a long time, his presence alone enough to make her hold her breath. Then he walked over, and took off her cuff more gently than she would have expected from a bounty hunter.She looked up at him, shaking in fear, the visor glaring down menacingly. A low command came from him, causing shivers to run down her back."Pack your things."
Relationships: Din Djarin & Grogu | Baby Yoda, Din Djarin/Own Character, Grogu | Baby Yoda & Original Character(s)
Comments: 544
Kudos: 771





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for clicking on this! This is my baby and I'm so excited to share this story with you❤ that being said, Elana has East Asian features when I'm picturing her, but I do not physically describe her in most cases. So even if this is not a Reader story, I hope you enjoy it!!  
> Thank you!!
> 
> Warnings: canon-typical violence (death, gun violence), (implied) past child abuse, hostages/(implied) slavery

"Bean?" Elana called out, looking for the little child. He was currently hidden from her, in some place she could not find. _Yet._

The hide-and-seek session she had initiated to stave off the boredom had turned into a nightmare. Elana had no idea where Bean would be, and she did not wanted to go and ask the Niktos outside. They were already barely tolerating her.

After Alderaan was destroyed a few years back she had drifted around the galaxy, and by chance, was approached by a friendly looking woman who told her that there was a well-paying, low maintenance job on a Outer Rim planet called Arvala-7 waiting for her. She took it without hesitation, and not a thought was spared about how such an opportunity was too good to be true.

Well, it _definitely_ was not well-paying.

She barely got any of the money she was promised, which was why she was stuck on Arvala-7, guarded by Niktos that fended off the bounty hunters that appeared every few days.

The reason for her job? A baby. Elana was hired to take care of a small baby, which was not what she had pictured, at all.

But after taking just one look at the small green child with the huge dark eyes and even larger ears, she fell in love. It could be a maternal instinct, or maybe it was her own soft heart that made her fiercely protective of him. There was an instant connection the moment she entered the room he was in, the baby reaching out towards her as soon as he set his eyes on her, babbling incessantly. For lack of better words, there was a _bond_ of sorts between them. Elana could feel, even pinpoint sometimes what the little bean was sensing, and knew that he was the same with her.

A soft coo finally alerted Elana to Bean's position, him giving himself away since he grew bored. She hurried to him, and scooped him up, heart beating fast in her chest.

"There you are, honey," she sighed in relief, tracing his large petal ears with a gentle finger. He cooed at her and patted at her face with his three fingers, claws not yet sharp enough to break skin. He grabbed at the end of her braid and put it in his mouth. Elana carefully took it out again, and quickly snatched a wooden toy he could gnaw on. The child wrapped his claws around it quietly, and started nibbling, big trusting eyes blinking up at her.

Elana tried not to think about it too much because it broke her heart, but all the signs were there. Bean was _too_ quiet. He did not make many noises. And if he did, only when it was absolutely necessary.

He did not ask for food or water. He ate quickly and left no crumbs anywhere. He did not flinch when a blaster shot rang through the air, but did when someone moved too fast near him. She really wished that her suspicions were wrong, but Bean exhibited behaviour that was proof of him being mistreated before she had come along.

Bean cooed softly, nuzzling her arms, and smiled at her. The sight was adorable.

"Let's get you something to eat, all right?" Elana said, bouncing him on her hip, and set off towards the kitchen.

The Niktos have provided them with food and shelter, as well as weapons for defense, like blasters and some knives. Elana did not really know how to use them, beyond how to pull a trigger and stab someone with the pointy end. And that was it. It was not as if any of the Niktos bothered to teach her. She knew maybe a quarter of them by name, the rest by sight, but it was purely a business-like relationship.

Without Bean, she would have been utterly alone on Arvala-7. To be fair, she would not even be there if it was not for Bean, but she would not have it any other way. The little area they were given to live in consisted of a small kitchen, a bath, and a bedroom where the pram for Bean was located. It was not much, but enough.

_Enough to survive._

She had no reason to complain, Elana often reasoned with herself, she had a roof over her head, cooling systems for the scorching days and heaters for the cold nights. She was given enough food and clothes to sustain herself and the little one she cared for. Even if Elana had no idea why she was actually there. She knew not the names of those who hired her, she did not know the reason why so many people sought to take Bean, why they were not even close to stopping after months of a constant stream of bounty hunters, all trying their luck.

Shaking those thoughts away, she returned to her original task of going to the kitchen.

The ration packets were stored in a drawer, and she noticed with a frown that the amount was steadily dwindling. It would still be enough for over a week, but it was definitely something that the Niktos should know about. They would get some more on their next supply run off the planet. Grabbing a small packet of rehydratable meat, and adding some water to a small pot, Elana prepared a simple meal for Bean. Then she heated water in another pot and made herself a cup of tea.

Bean sat upright in his stool, and watched her with curious, intelligent eyes. He babbled excitedly when she finished stirring, ears wiggling, making Elana smile.

The little child ate slowly as she fed him, blinking up at her and cooing. She cooed right back, and he smiled brightly, little teeth catching the light.

"You like the food? The consistency is nice, huh?"

He babbled, feet kicking slightly.

Suddenly, there was a shot outside. Elana whipped her head around, promptly positioning herself in front of Bean. More shots followed. Bounty hunters again.

She knew the drill already, so she quickly scooped Bean up and placed him in his pram. The baby was silent, staring up at her with big eyes, and a feeling of fear creeped along their bond. That was when she knew that something was wrong, that something was different from the other times. The shooting was still continuing, going on for longer than usual. There were too many shots for it to be only one bounty hunter, there had to be more than before, a small army?

A Nikto, who she recognized as Heku, ran inside the small quarters, two blasters in his hand.

"You stay here," he told her with his accented Basic, a frown on his face. "These are different hunters."

Elana nodded, eyes wide, and went to the pram, not closing it yet, before nudging it towards the wall, so it would be out of the way.

Heku looked over his shoulder before putting a blaster in her hand. "Doesn't look good," he said, "shoot them if they get in."

With those words, he ran outside again, leaving Elana reeling. _If they get in?_ That had never happened before, not even close. Normally, all two dozen of the Niktos were enough to dispatch any bounty hunters.

The front door, made of sturdy durasteel closed with a screech while the sound of blaster fire rang through the air, the shots now muffled through it. Elana fumbled with the weapon in her hand, heart beating a staccato, shoulders squared.

It was becoming louder outside; they seemed to have set up some kind of blaster gun that was shooting in the direction of the housing camp.

Clenching her jaw tightly, she clutched the blaster in her shaking hands. They were right outside. Elana could hear the blaster shots, the screams of the Niktos who were defending Bean and her, the sounds of a brutal fight going on just a few meters away from them. The pram was right behind her, and Bean was silent, watching with wide eyes.

"It's all right, Bean", Elana heard herself say, doing her best not to panic. "I'll protect you."

Her heart was thumping hard in her chest and she feared that she would become dizzy. The nauseating feeling of helplessness creeped up Elana's throat and she honestly did not know what to do.

Fight them? _Laughable_. Elana was barely able to shoot straight. Negotiate with them? Probably not even that. Most of the time the hunters were gunned down quickly, and it would have been the only thing worth mentioning on that particular day. But this? They were mowing down the Niktos like it was nothing, and the chance of the Niktos getting them was dwindling with every shot.

Bean and her had to stay together no matter what. Hopefully, they were bounty hunters who would take them alive and she could go with Bean as his caretaker. As long as the both of them were together, they stood a chance.

It was going to be fine. It would be fine.

"No matter what, I'll stay with you," she told Bean, looking at him with desperation. Pulling the tiny child near her, Elana kissed his forehead, eyes scrunched together, trying to keep the tears from escaping.

Bean did not make a sound, but she swore he could understand what was happening.

The shots stopped.

She closed the pram, hands shaking.

One Nikto ran in, blaster in hand. He nodded at her before positioning himself behind one of the pillars. Elana held her breath, heart in her chest. They shot at the door. They actually used blaster bolts to get through the door. When it collapsed inwards, she was surprised that there were only two bounty hunters. An IG-unit bounty droid and- was that a _Mandalorian?_

Elana froze. _Oh no._

If it was a Mandalorian, then her chances of getting out alive were very small indeed.

The Nikto tried to shoot at him but with lightning fast speed and uncanny precision the Mandalorian made short work of him with a single shot.

"Anyone else?" came the wry rhetorical question, crackled through a modulator.

She pulled the trigger.

It actually hit him, glanced off his pauldron with a _ping_. Elana had no time to celebrate her little victory however, as blaster bolts suddenly rained down on her, and she lunged behind the pillar, seeking shelter, shoulders hunched up. The dust and smoke made it hard to see, but she could make out a blaster bolt was uncomfortably near Bean's pram, and panic welled up in her. "Cease fire! I surrender!" she shouted, squeezing her eyes shut and pressing herself into the pillar some more.

"Cease fire, _please!_ "

They stopped shooting.

Elana closed her eyes, fighting off her tears. This is it. "Don't shoot, I'm coming with you," she said as soon as she swallowed the lump in her throat, "I'm the one you're looking for." Stepping out from behind her pillar, palms raised in surrender, heart beating fast, she blinked up at the two bounty hunters, subtly shielding Bean's pram in the process.

The Mandalorian's tracking fob was pointed at her, _through_ her. Maybe, hopefully she could play it as if she was the bounty. Maybe they could leave Bean in peace. There must have been someone who had survived, right? They could take care of Bean. She would gladly suffer for more than a hundred lifetimes if it meant that Bean would be safe.

Breathing hard, trembling like a leaf, she tried to suppress her tears, scared to death. "Please, don't kill me, I'll go with you," she got out, voice shaky. _Please let them think that I am the bounty._

The droid's head whirled around to Elana and she could not help her flinch. The Mandalorian stood rigidly, his helmet tilted down at her menacingly. He stepped closer, the fob trained on her, beeping rapidly.

"Identify yourself. You are not the bounty," the droid commanded.

She gulped, feeling ice cold. "Elana Lissiri," she choked out, throat not properly working. So there went the chance of properly protecting Bean.

"Step aside," the Mandalorian told her, voice low and raspy. She shook her head, vision blurring, trying to stay in the way of them, but the Mandalorian grabbed her wrist efficiently, and turned her around, twisting her arm against her back. Elana grimaced in pain, and struggled against him briefly.

"Step aside or I'll make you," he threatened, and she felt a blaster poking between her shoulder blades.

For a split second, Elana thought about doing something reckless like stomping on his feet or freeing herself somehow, but then let herself go limp. She would not do Bean any favors if she got herself shot, and he was too strong to overpower anyways. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, internally begging for forgiveness.

The tracking fob in the Mandalorian's hand was loud in her ears, every beep made dread curl in her belly and her chest seize up. He shoved her aside roughly when it was clear that she had been shielding the pram. The IG-unit behind him raised its blasters and stalked towards Bean's hiding place. The Mandalorian cuffed her against a pipe sticking out of the wall, securing one wrist so she would not escape.

"Don't hurt him, please, Maker, please don't," Elana begged, sinking to her knees. Trying her best to shield how terrified she was from their bond, she sent out as much warmth as she could to the little child. Both bounty hunters moved closer to Bean, the Mandalorian pressing the button in the centre of the pram.

It opened with a hiss, and she could see how Bean sat up, ears raised and head tilted in interest.

"He is just a baby," Elana whispered, willing the tears to stay at bay, "Just a baby, please don't kill him." Elana couldn't tear her eyes away from the tiny green child, certain that that was it. They would kill them both. She took in the soft petal ears, the big dark eyes, the tiny, adorable button nose for what was probably the last time, and tried not to cry. She loved the little one. _She loved him so much._

"Wait. They said fifty years old", she barely registered the Mandalorian speaking, his voice rough like gravel.

"Species age differently", the IG-unit replied. "Perhaps it could live many centuries."

"Please." Breath ragged, she looked up at the bounty hunters. "Please, I'll do _anything_ , but don't kill him."

Bean leaned forward, big eyes curious, pushing down his blanket to get a better view of the newcomers. A questioning feeling ran along their bond. Elana's heart nearly broke in two.

"Sadly, we'll never know." The IG unit raised its blaster, and she tried to get in front of the pram without success, straining against the cuff. The Mandalorian stopped the droid before the blaster was fired, though. It was a cruel, cruel thing, giving her a moment of hope that the child would survive. Breath ragged, she tried to stop the panicked noises rising in her throat.

"No. We'll bring it in alive."

"The commission was quite specific," the IG-unit said, "The asset was to be terminated."

Elana closed her eyes, shaking like a leaf now. _Not Bean_ , she thought, despair rolling off her in waves, _please, not my Bean._ She tried to get to the pram again, rattling at the cuff with all her strength, not caring when it hurt and cut into her skin.

A shot rang out.

She gave a full body flinch, hunching into herself. But the bond was not broken. Nor did she feel any pain or fear.

_The bond was not broken._

They didn't kill Bean.

Elana looked up, eyes wide, head full of questions.

The IG-unit fell to the ground with a thud. Smoke rose from the central processing unit. She stared at it before shifting her gaze to the other bounty hunter.

The Mandalorian seemed to be transfixed by Bean. He reached out a finger hesitantly, and after a second, Bean reached back, letting out a delighted coo.

Elana blinked in confusion. _Bean likes him?_ Something about their interaction struck her deeply, and the bond between Bean and her suddenly swelled, as if something clicked into place.

The Mandalorian's helmet then snapped around to her, and she flinched again. "Are you its caretaker?" he asked gruffly. Elana barely managed to nod, scared out of her wits.

He was quiet for a long time, his presence alone enough to make her hold her breath. Then he walked over, and took off her cuff more gently than she would have expected from a bounty hunter.

She looked up at him, shaking in fear, the visor glaring down menacingly. A low command came from him, causing shivers to run down her back.

"Pack your things."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	2. The Desert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mandalorian drags Bean and Elana through the desert, and first impressions are made

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: references to canon-typical violence, (implied) past child abuse, hostages
> 
> *added some edits to change scenes up, reworded some paragraphs

With nothing but the clothes on their backs they had ventured out into the desert.

Which was completely _stupid_ , if you asked Elana.

The Mandalorian had not given her more than five minutes, so she could not actually take more things for herself, most of what she had grabbed being Bean's robes and blankets. She could not find his favourite wooden toy and had not wanted to waste time finding it, so it was left there.

Elana stuffed a big water bottle, a moisture bead for when there was no water left and enough ration bars to last for four days into a backpack, where the rest of their stuff was. She was acutely aware of how the Mandalorian was watching them with impatience. He did not say a word, though, just stood there and waited with crossed arms.

After she closed the backpack flap and put the backpack on, the Mandalorian cuffed her again. Head hanging low, hands in front of her, in an angle that was initially fine but would become uncomfortable after a while, Elana followed him out, the Mandalorian not even looking back at her.

It was only after they walked out of the encampment, through the bodies strewn across the sand, dark against the light sand and the bright sun, that Elana realized that she had not packed enough layers for the nights.

Nights on Arvala-7 were perhaps not as cold as other desert planets, but it was enough to be severely uncomfortable. Maybe if she used the blanket of Bean and swaddled him in his robes? She could not request to go back again, right? Elana was too scared to ask, and clenched her jaw, staring at the cuffs around her wrists.

The sun was glaring down on them as they started their trek, the brown and red sandstone beneath their feet solid, dust swirling if they stomped hard enough.

Bean was sitting in his pram, floating along, eyes curious, taking everything in. The Mandalorian had recalibrated the wiring on the pram while she was packing. So now it was connected to his vambrace instead of the slim bracelet the Niktos had given her when she first set foot in the encampment. She could feel Bean's excitement from being outside along their bond; it was probably the first time he remembered leaving the compound, having unrestricted view of the planet's surface, being under the sun, pod open, wind in his face.

Even though the small one did not make any noises, he was attentive to everything that was happening, ears perked up, eyes wide, leaning forward, watching the rough terrain of Arvala-7 go by. They started climbing up the rock formation that Elana had often looked at while in the encampment, when she had not been allowed to go beyond the perimeters. Even though it was not actually too difficult, sweat was trailing down Elana's back from the exertion.

The Mandalorian did not say a word the whole time.

When they arrived on top, the breeze slightly cooling, their captor looked around as if searching for something. He evidently did not find it, as his shoulders dropped slightly, almost imperceptibly.

"Come on," he said after a short pause.

Elana frowned. "Do you not have a blurrg?" she dared to ask, voice quiet. It was nearly impossible to reach the encampment without some kind of transportation, and the blurrgs were the most common one. Speederbikes were difficult to handle with the canyons and the terrain was unsuited for spaceships.

"Must have ran away." With those words, he set off again, leading the way and moving with grace and assurance.

She stared after him, but startled into motion when Bean's pram floated past her, following the Mandalorian, a breeze making the baby's ears flop in the wind. The sky above was a pale blue that contrasted with the reddish brown rocks that surrounded them, the Mandalorian almost blended in with the surroundings with his rust-coloured armour. The only things that stood out in stark contrast to the landscape were his helmet and the pauldron on his shoulder, reflecting the light from their silver surfaces.

Elana studied him from behind, feet keeping up with the speed he had set, her brown leather boots slowly beginning to be covered in a layer of red dust.

The Mandalorian was tall, at least a head taller than her, and broad as well, even if she did not know how much of it was due to the armour, and what was his actual shoulder width. The cape he wore was tattered at the bottom and a washed out dark grey colour that could have been true black at some point in its life, and a rifle was slung across his back. She did not recognise the model or type, but it had a forked end that looked as if it could do something nasty. And she _definitely_ did not want to be at the wrong end of it.

He also showed no visible skin, what Elana had thought of as fingerless gloves were actually dyed an ochre colour, as if they had been dipped in some kind of acid to get that particular shade of leather.

It was becoming uncomfortably hot beneath the sun, bright enough that she had to squint most of the time, while she walked behind the Mandalorian and the pram Bean was in. Sweat was beading on her forehead, hair starting to curl at the nape of her neck because of it, the small of her back uncomfortably damp. They were walking on the surface, avoiding the canyons that ran through the rocky surface of Arvala-7, staying right underneath the open sky.

With the Mandalorian being a rather lacking conversationalist, and Bean not able to respond coherently anyways, the only thing that kept Elana entertained were her own thoughts. It was difficult not to let herself run in circles every time a new thought popped in her head. Worries about Bean, worries about the climate, worries about what would happen next. Would they have enough food to get to the ship? Would they have enough shelter? What would happen if the sun got too much, or the nights became too cold? Did they have enough clothes, enough medical equipment, _hell_ , enough diapers?

And to add to all of it, their captor was the biggest worry of them. What would he do? What could he do to them? They were completely at his mercy right now, dependent on him and what he did. And she did not know enough about him to form any assumptions.

The only thing she currently knew about their captor was that he did not talk much, and he had not displayed tendencies in being violent at random. He did not snap at her or at the baby to keep up.

Yet.

And who knew what would set him off. Small things, big things, things they have no control over? She would do nothing that could endanger Bean, Elana swore to herself. If the Mandalorian became fed up with them he would not take it out on the small child, but on her. Elana did not care how much she would have to give, as long as it meant Bean was safe she would do _anything_.

She moved forward, one foot in front of the other, doing nothing but keeping an eye on their captor and the floating pram next to him. After an hour of constant walking, she felt that Bean was getting thirsty across their bond. On occasions like these Elana thanked the Maker that the bond existed between them, because with other people around, Bean was hesitant to audibly inform his caretakers of his needs. She would bet every credit in the galaxy that such behaviour was because of someone who had to watch over Bean who should have never been let within a ten-foot-radius of a child. Knowing that the green baby would probably not make a move, not even alerting her to what he wanted because he was unsure of his surroundings, she decided to address their captor.

"Mandalorian!" Elana called, huffing as she jogged up to him, she could see him turning around, watching her like a hawk. She swallowed nervously, feeling her heart beat fast against her ribcage, fear creeping up inside her. "We need to take a water break, the baby is not used to being outside in the heat for so long," she said, unable to help her fidgeting as she looked up to the menacing bounty hunter. He simply tilted his head, and with the posture he assumed she could almost imagine him cocking an eyebrow. If he had eyebrows to begin with. _Not all humanoids had those._

"Okay," was all that came out from under the helmet. His visor was trained on her, almost expectantly.

Elana held out her cuffed wrists. "You need to take these off so I can give him water." She watched him carefully, readying herself to start an argument if he refused.

He just sighed, shoulders tense and helmet tilted in what looked to her like an annoyed manner.

Bean cooed in his pram, looking up at her.

She clenched her jaw. "Where would I run to if you take these off, huh?" Elana asked, mustering up every bit of bravery she could, glaring at him, "There is no place I could go." Her heart dropped at the confirmation, the fact somehow weighing heavier than before once spoken aloud. "If I want to get back, it would take hours. And, as you know, there is no one alive to go back to."

He was still silent, staring down at her menacingly.

Elana shouldered on, jutting her jaw. "Also, the baby needs me. I won't go anywhere without him." Belatedly, she became aware that she was rambling and that it was probably intentional of him, an intimidation technique to make her lose her cool by not responding, making her nervous.

"All right," was all he said before grabbing her wrists gently, much to Elana’s surprise, and opened the mechanism that kept the cuffs closed.

Elana sighed in relief, rubbing her wrists, and noticed with a frown how the skin had become red and irritated, both due to the harsh treatment as well as the sweat and grit increasing the friction. If she wore the cuffs for much longer her skin would start to actually chafe, Elana realised grimly. Setting down her backpack and rummaging in it, pulling the water bottle out, she felt the visor trained on her, watching her every move. _Relax, tin can_ , she thought, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. But she valued her life more than being petty, especially when he was the only one who was currently ensuring their survival. She _had_ to be realistic with this.

The water bottle was still cool, which she was thankful for. Pouring a small amount into the bottle cap, she gingerly knelt next to the pram and handed it to Bean. He cooed at her, tiny smile popping up, and took the water with his three-clawed hands. Holding it carefully, he took a sip, then another, until the cap was empty. Elana noticed how the Mandalorian's gaze was trained on Bean. Across their bond she could feel an approximate translation of _thank you_ from Bean, and she smiled.

"You're welcome, honey," she murmured, eyes crinkling, holding the water bottle up, "do you want more?"

He cooed in affirmation, turning on his belly, pushing himself up and scampering closer to the edge of the pram. She poured some more water, carefully measuring the amount, before giving Bean the cap. While he was drinking, she took a sip as well, careful not to have too much too soon. They would have to ration their water supply until the sun set and the moisture bead could gather some more.

Squinting up to the Mandalorian, who stood directly in the sun, she offered him the bottle as well, both out of decency and necessity. He was the one who was keeping them alive, for now, she rationalized. And in order to keep them alive, he could not keel over because of dehydration. Also, the full-body armour looked as if it was scorching hot underneath, if he did not have some cooling system installed anyways.

But regardless of that it would be impolite if she did not offer him water. "Do you want some?" Elana dared to voice, hating how shaky she sounded.

He shook his head, and rasped out an "I'm good."

Elana frowned. "Are you sure? You can have it, I have a moisture bead in the backpack," she tried to offer again, slightly baffled that someone would choose to skip out on water on a desert planet.

"I'm good."

Eyebrows raised, she nodded in acceptance. "All right."

He nodded back, and then started to move again. Elana realized that he had been positioned in a way so he could give Bean and her some shade from the sun.

_That was... oddly thoughtful._

Still. He was still their captor.

Elana packed the water bottle away, and she gave Bean a nose boop, which made him giggle. As soon as she stood, the Mandalorian cuffed her again.

"Why are we walking on top of the plateaus? Elana asked, squinting up at their captor, "There is more shade in the canyons."

"We make a faster way on top," he said gruffly, "No overview inside." With those words, they resumed walking, the sun beating down on them, and Elana followed him with a sinking heart, willing herself not to despair.

Every time Bean leaned out of the open pram she tensed, half expecting the Mandalorian to push him back, bark at him or something like that, something like the Niktos would occasionally have done if Bean was misbehaving in their eyes. Elana was pretty sure that if she had not been hired Bean would not have been treated as kindly as he was with her. Because she was there, the Niktos would either hand Bean off to her, or at least let her take him away when something happened.

There had been more than one time where Bean had been kicked simply because he was underfoot, or hit on the head when he splashed too much water or squealed too loudly. Children were not supposed to be in such rough company, that should have been common knowledge, but the galaxy was unkind, and Bean was not the first and would not be the last child that had unsuitable caretakers. That was why Elana was watching the Mandalorian like a hawk, ready to butt in if he showed any kind of inclination towards mistreating Bean, simply because the little one was a baby that did not understand what adults wanted from him.

But nothing had happened since he had taken them from the encampment a few hours ago. So far.

After walking for hours, limbs aching and heart heavy, Elana noticed that the sun would be setting soon. She looked into the sky, gauging the distance between the sun and the horizon, trying to calculate how much time they had until nightfall.

The Mandalorian had started tilting his helmet in different directions, while upping the pace he set, forcing Elana to go faster if she wanted to keep up. Her cuffed hands had been aching fiercely for hours by that point, and she would have given anything to have them loosened a bit.

"Where will we take cover?" She asked, the first thing she had said in hours, since the water break. The Mandalorian hummed, still looking around.

Then, he seemed to make a decision. "We will camp in the canyon for the night," he said, "We're too exposed here."

 _In the canyon? All of the sudden, huh?_ Elana thought, but she understood his logic.

"How will we get down there?" she asked instead, shifting from one foot to another. Her feet ached.

"We will search for a spot to descend," the Mandalorian said.

 _With what? Did he have a rope?_ Elana asked herself. From what she had seen, the canyon was still very deep, too deep for them to manage to get down safely via climbing. But she said nothing, too nervous to object to his plan, heart beating fast at the potential prospect of getting into the canyon at that height.

They continued walking until they got to a rock formation that seemed suitable for a descent into the canyon. Looking over the ledge, Elana had to swallow thickly.

There were at least ten meters between them and the ground, the sandstone going straight down for around three meters at first, and then the rest looked climbable with a lot of caution. The bottom of the canyon looked impossibly far away.

Feeling slightly faint, she scooted back, away from the death trap built into the rough terrain.

"Do we need to get down here?" she asked, quieter than she would have liked, in the process of plucking up some courage. "Can't we get to another spot where it's not… that far below?"

"No," came the reply, slightly strained since he was attaching a hook affixed to a sturdy looking piece of rope to one of the rocks. "It would take too long."

"Will that rope hold?" Elana asked again, feeling her heart drop when he nodded sharply.

"Yes." His voice held an edge of annoyance now, so she shut up and just continued to watch with a worried expression on her face.

When Elana looked to Bean, and made eye contact, he just squeaked quietly, ears lowering. The bounty hunter set the pieces down, and strode over to her. Not expecting the sudden movement, she flinched back from him, and he grabbed her harshly by the shoulder, holding her still. Then, he took off the cuffs.

"Can't climb with those," he said dryly, and attached the cuffs to his belt as he walked back to his setup.

The Mandalorian tested the rope, leaning backwards and letting the rocks hold his weight. Nothing budged. Tugging a few more times on it to ensure it was truly safe, he started to lower himself into the canyon. Bean's pram hovered alongside him, almost giving Elana a heart attack at first.

She peered over the edge, following them with her eyes, heart beating fast in her chest. _Please don't let them fall, please don't let them fall,_ she prayed to everything above.

The sun was disappearing behind the rocky formations, the sky was deep orange, and some of the stars were already appearing above. The last sunbeams were in at an angle that meant Elana had to squint when looking down, the rays shining directly into her face.

"Your turn," the Mandalorian called up as he landed on the ground with a dull thud, just a bit below her. Elana stared down.

"You're kidding," she said, laughing nervously.

"Get down."

She bit her lip, starting to become anxious. "I'll fall."

"Get down," he repeated, voice threatening.

Elana started shaking, eyes fixed on the rope and on the seemingly endless space between her and them. Bean was looking up, and reached out a hand towards her.

"Just grab the rope, stand backwards to the canyon," the Mandalorian instructed, sighing loud enough she could hear it even from where she stood. Heart beating fast, she did what he said.

"All right, now keep yourself horizontal, and walk down."

She tried her best to copy that, internally cursing in every language she knew when she went over the ledge, and slipped just as she took the first step.

For a long second Elana fell, mind _blank_ except for complete and utter fear before her grip on the rope tightened again, her momentum making her slam into the wall.

"Kriff, kriff, _kriff,_ " she cursed, scrabbling for some kind of purchase.

"Just jump the rest," the bounty hunter sighed, sounding annoyed.

 _Oh, kark you,_ Elana thought, gritting her teeth before twisting, gauging the distance to the little ledge the Mandalorian and Bean were on.

Taking a shuddering breath, she positioned herself, readying herself for the fall.

"Easy," the Mandalorian instructed.

Deciding not to snark back, she just kept her mouth shut and let go of her death grip on the rope. Her mind was blank as she fell, and she landed, her legs protesting the sudden drop.

"Easy," the Mandalorian repeated again as she straightened up, feeling her thighs tremble. He gave her a short nod, before dropping to his knees, starting to climb down the rocks, finding easy hold in the rough cleft.

Elana did the same as the bounty hunter did, and climbed down, using the same places to hold herself up as the Mandalorian did. She had to give it to him, the descent was not overly difficult and there were far more difficult stone ledges she had climbed as a teenager than this one. Bean was sitting safely in his pram, floating along the adults, and it did not take more than a few minutes until they were on the bottom of the canyon.

She exhaled with a shudder, squaring her shoulders, body straining as she took the last few steps, her legs and core burning, sighing in relief as they were standing on safe, solid ground once again.

 _Maker above, suns and stars, every deity that exists out there, thank you. Oh, kriff, thank you so much,_ Elana thought, before turning around and running smack into the solid armour of the Mandalorian. She flinched back, not having expected him to stand that close, and he held up a hand, either to keep her at arm's length, or to reassure her, she did not know. Still, she choked out a rushed apology.

"It's okay," he said, voice gravelly, and she was grateful that he did not seem to be angry about it, "You all right?"

Elana glanced down at her hands, indents showing in her palm where she had gripped the stone wall tightly, and shook them out with a wince. "Yeah, I'm good," she said, looking up at the Mandalorian. The stars of the night sky were reflecting on his helmet.

The bounty hunter gave her a short nod, before turning around, and starting to walk again.

Bean gave a coo, making grabby hands at Elana, and she could sense he was hungry.

"When will we stop for the night?" she asked, glancing up the wall they had come down from. The stars above are now twinkling, wrapped in the deep blue night of Arvala-7. Inside the canyon the visibility was low, and everything had a grey sheen now that the only light source was the stars above.

He did not answer. He just started walking again, each step with purpose, not even checking to see if she was following him.

Elana resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and took off as well, heart still beating fast, thighs hurting and feet aching from all the walking they had done today.

Flyaway hairs were sticking to her forehead and she pushed them away, rubbing her hand across her forehead and her nose to wipe some of the dried sweat and grime away. She felt disgusting. But since there was no water shower, or even a sonic shower, in the radius of ten kilometers, she would have to make do.

At least she was not trapped under thick fabric and durasteel armour. Elana shuddered to think of how much she would be sweating underneath those and how utterly gross they would feel after an entire day of walking under the scorching sun.

And the Mandalorian did not say a single word of complaint.

_He had not had water all day as well._

A bit of sympathy welled up in her, and she felt bad for him. "Mandalorian!" she called out, jogging up to him and the floating pram.

He did not stop walking, but he turned his head towards her. When she peered inside the pram she could see that Bean was looking curiously up at her. He patted on his tummy, and Elana shot him a soft smile. She called out to the Mandalorian again. "The baby needs food. Can we take a break and camp for the night?"

He nodded once, before doubling back, approaching them. "Does he need anything else?"

Elana shrugged. "I don't think so," she said, "He is fine except for lack of water and food right now." The Mandalorian said nothing, just stared down at her, and she narrowed her eyes at the taller man. "You have not had a drink of water all day," Elana stated, hands on her hips, staring up at him, "Are you hydrated enough?"

He tilted his helmet down at her, his body language incredulous. "What?" he rasped. She stood her ground, knowing that he was key to their survival: "You need to drink water if you want to get us to your ship."

He scoffed quietly. "I would have thought you didn’t want to go to my ship."

She raised an eyebrow, deadpan. "I'd rather be on your ship than dying out here because you didn’t know how to properly hydrate."

"I know how."

"Well, colour me impressed, Mandalorian."

He stared at her, not saying a word. She crossed her arms, jutting her chin out. "Does this have something to do with your helmet?" she asked, brows pulling together.

"Something like that," he admitted after a short while.

Elana stared at him, and then shrugged her shoulders. "Is that all? You could just go around the corner and drink something." She gestured to the winding path in the canyon, dark enough that there was not more than five meters of visibility.

"It's not that easy."

"Then tie me up again," Elana said, "I've got nowhere else to go."

He stared down at her, before sighing deeply. "...Thank you."

Elana faked surprise. "Oh, you _do_ have manners."

He turned his head to the side, posture unexpressive. "You done?"

She nodded. He pushed some buttons on his vambrace and the pram floated towards her. Elana set her backpack down, and took out the water bottle as well as a ration pack, and reached up, offering them to the Mandalorian. He took them with a nod, cuffed one of her hands and bound it to Bean's pram.

She sat down on the ground, and took out a ration pack for her and for Bean, ripping the packaging open. Feeding it to the little child, who was hungrily chomping it down, Elana sighed, feeling so helpless with everything that was happening. How long could she keep the baby alive? How would this go on? Taking a bite of her own ration pack, she grimaced at the flavourless mush in her mouth. The Mandalorian disappeared around a corner, taking his own "dinner" with him.

 _Everything was fine_ , she thought, willing herself to be convinced, and took another bite, _Bean is alive, is fine, and is not harmed. The same thing goes for myself. That has to count for something._ All too soon the food was finished, Elana sighed and looked over to Bean. The little one was sleeping peacefully, nose twitching and mouth open, making adorable wheezing sounds as he breathed deeply. Scooting even closer to him, Elana traced a finger carefully over his face, along the brow bone and the wrinkly forehead, the wispy white fuzz on him, his mind at peace.

Right now, she could do nothing. Nothing that would help them out of their predicament, anyways. She did not know where to go, she had no weapons, not enough food, and the chances of her escaping _with_ Bean, unscathed, were miniscule. The best bet Elana had was to go with the Mandalorian to his ship, hoping that he would be refuelling on some planet and that he would allow her and Bean to get away while he was busy.

Right now, on Arvala-7, there was nothing she could do except go with him, keeping Bean and herself alive, and using him as their guide and protection at the same time. The Mandalorian returned, empty packaging of the ration bar and the water bottle in his hand. Elana sat up straight, and reached out her hand, wanting the bottle as well.

"Thank you," he said, nodding at her as he passed the bottle. She did the same gesture back, watching him carefully as he sat down a few feet away, leaning against the canyon wall opposite to them. He was using the angle to be able to keep them in his sight, Elana realized.

Taking a sip from the water bottle, she was surprised to feel that he had not taken as much as she thought he would. She reached behind her, pulling the backpack between her splayed legs, and started searching for the moisture bead. The little portable device consisted of hexagonal disks arranged around several rings that locked into each other, forming the shape that gave it its name. When turned on, it would spin slowly, absorbing the moisture from the air, and the condensed water drops would be collected. Pressing the button that activated it, the bead glowed a soft blue and started to work. Soon, there was a steady dripping sound, the water bottle began filling up slowly, drop by drop.

She unpacked the other items from her backpack in the meantime, pulling a thin blanket out, and wrapped it around herself. The cold was starting to creep in, not truly bothersome yet, but noticeable. The night would be uncomfortable, she already knew, and she tucked another layer of cloth around Bean, thinking that it would be better to be too hot than too cold on such a night.

Elana observed the Mandalorian, sitting in a relaxed pose. The huge rifle was now resting on his thighs, and his dark combat boots had the same fine layer of dust as hers did from the whole day of walking. The rust red armour looked almost black in the low light, the only reflecting points his helmet, his pauldron and the indentation right in the middle of his chest plate. She did not want to fall asleep but at the same time she was exhausted.

 _Everything ached._ From her head to her feet, every joint in her body was swollen due to the heat and the exercise. Her hair was sticky and unruly due to dried sweat.

Reaching up, she slung her hair over her shoulder, and began the process of undoing her thick braid, slightly awkward with only one hand free. Elana sighed in relief when the strain on her scalp lessened, and she ran a hand through it, combing it out with her fingers as best as she could. Parting it into two sections, she put her long hair over her shoulders, leaving her nape bare and able to completely dry, fanning herself to speed up the process.

The night started to become cooler, the heat that had been baking the packed earth all day slowly leaving the surface.

Leaning back again when she had sufficiently cooled down a bit, she grimaced at the way her clothes were sticky with her dried sweat. If she thought she had felt disgusting before, she was feeling even worse now.

"You should sleep," the Mandalorian told her, not ungently, scooting back a bit and shuffling into a more comfortable position against the canyon wall.

Elana looked evenly at him. "We will walk all day tomorrow as well, right?" she asked, already sighing internally at the thought of a repeat of the day, with all the walking and climbing under the sun.

"Yes."

"What will you get in exchange for us?" Elana asked, unable to help herself.

The chances were low that he would actually tell her where they were going, because the more she knew, the easier it would be for her to plan an escape. Someone like him probably knew that and could predict her moves accordingly. Every hope that he would simply be some dumb brutish bounty hunter had diminished over the course of the day. He proved himself to be able to think before he acted, and had not shown any kind of behaviour she could base any poor assumptions off of. The only things she knew about him was that he did not speak much, and that he would not hurt them unprovoked. The way he moved was deliberate, every step, every word was calculated, his mannerisms almost droid-like.

He had yet to hurt Bean, and he had yet to hurt her. He had not had his way with her just because he could; that had to count for something. And that little something gave her a bit of hope, that they could get out of this unscathed.

But other questions could potentially throw him off enough for her to put bits and pieces together, and get more insight out of the man. The more insights she had, the easier it would be to plan an escape before he handed them over.

"Payment," he said, voice dry as the dust that surrounded them.

Elana barely suppressed an eye roll, jaw clenching. "I meant," she enunciated, carefully removing every trace of annoyance out of her voice, not wanting to give him an excuse to treat them differently. "What kind of price will we fetch you?"

"Enough."

He leaned his helmet against the canyon wall.

She stared at him, shoulders tense. "Enough of a payment or enough of the questions?"

The Mandalorian made a sound that was almost a scoff. "Both," he said.

"Lovely," Elana sniped, letting her annoyance seep back into her tone, "Nice to know that we can at least make you rich."

He did not respond, but she could hear a creaking from him, the dim starlight reflecting off his helmet.

Elana let out an annoyed huff, eyes turned upwards to the wall above the Mandalorian. Closing her eyes and feeling across the bond, she found Bean satisfied, dreaming about a green tinted night sky filled with stars. The bond was always more vivid from Bean's perspective, which was a relief. She could tend to his needs more easily without him needing to draw attention to himself, and he did not get the whole barrage of her being worried and scared about him.

The Mandalorian spoke up again. "Sleep. You will need it."

Elana sighed, before laying down on her side, hard ground unpleasant, but at least there were no small rocks digging into her back. "Good night," she told him as she was falling asleep, eyes already closed.

She did not know if the crackle of the modulator was an exhale, or if he actually replied back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!❤


	3. The Sandcrawler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: canon-typical violence (gore/blood, gun violence), hostages
> 
> *edited the chapter and added some lines/corrections

The next morning, Elana was woken by the Mandalorian.

"Get up," he said, standing right in front of her, staring down. She startled awake, squinted up, brows furrowed and dark hair unruly. Then, she looked at the pram, seeing green ears peeking out of the pod. Not even a second later, dark eyes followed, peering at her. He cooed and stretched a hand out to her, smiling widely. The Mandalorian got close and uncuffed her without a word before retreating away again.

Elana got up, combing her hair with her fingers before putting it into a low braid while walking over to Bean, greeting him with a quiet "Good morning".

"We have to move," the Mandalorian said, strapping his rifle across his shoulder, walking a few paces before he stopped again, looking up at the canyon walls.

Taking notice of the filled water bottle, she put the moisture bead away and got the ration packs out. Offering one to Bean, she broke it in half in order for him to hold more easily. He started to gnaw on them, but his little face told her everything about what he thought of the taste.

"Yeah, honey, I know," she murmured, stroking his ears, "they're not tasty. We can get you something better later on." Bean pointed to the Mandalorian, and made a questioning sound. Elana could not control the face she made, and shook her head slightly.

"We're not asking him for food," she said so quietly that the bounty hunter would not be able to pick it up, "also he probably doesn't have anything better anyways."

Bean frowned, mouth turning downwards. She had to smile at his disgruntled face, and with a last boop on his nose, she straightened up and started to pack the things away into her backpack before walking towards the Mandalorian.

He had been waiting patiently, allowing them a short time to properly wake up and prepare for the day, for which she was grateful.

The Mandalorian held out the cuffs then, and with a clenched jaw she let him attach those to her wrists. He tilted his head towards her in a slight nod, then set off again, Bean's pram floating with him. Watching how his tattered cape swung across his broad back, Elana held back a sigh and started to trail after him.

It was much more difficult to walk in comparison to yesterday, since her legs ached with the effort, muscles unused to so much exercise and climbing across the rocky terrain. But taking step after step, setting one foot in front of the other, the ache slowly dwindled to an amount where it was annoying but not actually bothering her too much. They walked for at least an hour, the pace less gruelling than the day before, but it was still exhausting after a while.

The canyon walls decreased in height around them, and the path they walked on was getting lighter and lighter, both due to the fact that the edges of the cliff were lower and let more daylight in, and the sun rising higher in the sky. The rock formation curled above them, giving them some semblance of protection even if the canyon itself was becoming more shallow.

Where yesterday the surface was bare and devoid of life, down in the canyon there were lizards scuttling around. Across the bond she could feel Bean watching those with big eyes and rising interest, leaning over the edge of the pod to peek out. The Mandalorian kept walking, stride purposeful, unbothered by the reptiles.

More lizards appeared again, and Bean leaned out even more, squeaking quietly, eyes growing huge. Elana watched him, glad that he seemed to be entertained by them even though he could not get out and play. Crossing over a small trickling stream, they continued walking without a break. The packed earth beneath their feet was not bone dry anymore, but had occasional patches of wet mud here and there, making the walk more difficult.

Some of them were actually mud puddles and Elana was suddenly glad that Bean was sitting properly in his pram because he would have _definitely_ tried to play in them and make a mess of himself. And she would probably have let him, giving him an hour to tire himself out so he would sleep better at night.

"Mrah," Bean said quietly, eyes wide as he tried to get a better look.

The lizards that tailed them were approaching fast, a group of them gathering around them. Elana looked at the ground, keeping an eye on them. _Are they venomous?_ , she suddenly asked herself, anxiety spiking, and inched closer to the pram. But before she could open her mouth to ask the bounty hunter, they scattered in a matter of milliseconds.

The Mandalorian stopped walking.

Elana held her breath automatically as he stood still as a statue, the only sound she could hear for the moment the wind whistling.

A shadow passed over them, too quickly for Elana to see the source behind it as she whipped her head around. The Mandalorian turned his torso, slowly looking around.

"What is--" Elana started to ask quietly, but he held a hand up sharply, effectively shutting her up. His leather gloves creaked as his hand wrapped around a blaster.

Elana jumped when a figure, a Trandoshan dropped down from the top of the canyon with a roar, stumbling back as fast as she could, getting away from them.

They knocked against the Mandalorian's rifle, and with a fast movement, he pushed Bean's pram backwards. A sharp rapid beeping filled the air, and she stumbled backwards as fast as she could, placing herself in front of Bean. Her heart beat fast in her chest as the Trandoshan advanced on the Mandalorian, sparks flying as he hit his armour. Getting the upper hand, the Mandalorian knocked him down, only to whirl around when another one dropped down. While he deflected a hit, a third one appeared, getting involved in the fight as well.

The Mandalorian held himself against three opponents easily, blocking hits and kicking out, every slice that broke through his defence sliding harmlessly off his armour. Using the end of his rifle, he stabbed at one of them, blue electricity crackling, knocking the Trandoshan back a couple of paces.

Seizing the opportunity of the distracted bounty hunter, one of them ran towards Elana and Bean, the former shielding the pram protectively with her body. She squared her shoulders, preparing to defend Bean with her life even while cuffed, but before that could happen, the hunter vanished into thin air.

Eyes wide, she stared at the golden sparks floating around them, her gaze dropping to the pile of fabric at her feet that had not been there before.

_The hunter had disintegrated._

Her heart dropped into her stomach, and she had to gulp. The Mandalorian still had his rifle raised, pointing directly at them. A moment passed, not one word was said. Breathing hard, the visor of the Mandalorian was trained right on Bean, and the child was staring back. Elana was wide eyed, looking rapidly between them, unable to decide whether she should check upon Bean first or rip into the bounty hunter for firing a weapon right when Bean was in range.

She turned and crossed the short distance to the pram, wishing she could take him out of the pram and press him to her, but it was impossible with the cuffs. "What is _wrong_ with you," she got out, voice shaking and hands trembling, overwhelmed with the need to feel Bean. Him, _alive_ , in her arms, "You could have hit him!" Chest heaving, she glared at the Mandalorian, heart beating fast in her chest, every possible scenario that could have played out making it seize up.

"Good thing I didn't," he replied, before taking the beeping fob and crushing it with his boot. His helmet turned around to her, "We're being followed."

The statement hung in the air.

They looked at each other, the impassive shield of the beskar mask making it impossible to gauge what was going on in his mind. "Why do they want him?" he asked, sounding tense.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I don't know," she said, shoulders hunching. It was not a complete lie. She had some ideas as to why anyone wanted Bean, starting with what the little one could do, but actually knowing? How could the people who wanted Bean know that he could make things float? How could they know about the bond?

"We need to move if we don't want to get ambushed again," the Mandalorian said, and turned around, taking off again.

Elana stared after him, worry lingering in her chest. She knew that there were many bounty hunters coming to Arvala-7, and she knew that they had tried and failed many times to get Bean. This was the first time that someone had come so far in actually getting them.

Now, the other hunters would have easy picking with them out in the open, especially considering how close it just was, how easily they should have overpowered the Mandalorian.

Elana did not even dare to think what would have happened to Bean if the Mandalorian had not quickly pushed the pram away from the scuffle, and silently thanked the Maker for his reflexes. Starting to walk again, trailing after the Mandalorian and the floating pram, she was left alone with her thoughts, running at hyperspace speed. She suddenly noticed the cut on the Mandalorian's arm, the sun reflecting the glistening of blood.

"You're hurt!" Elana exclaimed, not thinking as she went to inspect it, some kind of instinct taking over. She was stopped though, by an arm pushing her away when she got too close, and the bounty hunter stared her down.

"Don't touch me," he threatened quietly, and Elana instantly shrank back, heart pounding. Feeling a flush rise up in her face because of how foolish she felt, she just held up her palms a little awkwardly because of the cuffs, trying to placate him.

He simply turned around, and ignored her timid "I'm sorry".

The day was crawling by at a snail's pace, and they only stopped for water and food. If Elana had thought that she felt disgusting yesterday, she was not prepared for today. Her entire body was sticky with sweat and dust, and when she rubbed across her arms dirt clung to her, baked into her skin. Her hair was a tangled mess, the only saving grace was that it was in a braid and could not get much dirtier. She longed for a water shower where she could scrub her entire body raw, some soap to wash off the grease on her face and her scalp, and clean, dry clothes that she could put on afterwards. Elana might have actually cried if that opportunity arose. Thank the Maker that Bean was not a sweaty baby, and with his pram he was the cleanest of them all.

Despite all this, she pitied the Mandalorian, who must have been sweating buckets underneath that coarse weave and the durasteel armour, not to mention the cape he was trailing behind him. Was it only for the aesthetic, to look even more menacing, or did it serve some purpose? It looked like a good emergency blanket for cool nights, though.

When night finally fell again after a gruelling day underneath the sun, they made camp outside the canyon, on the edge, where they would continue towards the Mandalorian’s ship the next day.

The Mandalorian took out a small heater lamp while Elana gave Bean water, turned on the moisture bead after he was finished, and fed him his ration packet. Unhappy with the consistency, it took longer than usual for Elana to get Bean to eat, the baby whining and frowning at her every time he had to take another bite.

"I know it doesn't taste good," Elana said, holding the packet with a stern face, "But it's all we have right now."

The Mandalorian was inspecting the wound on his arm, hissing lowly in pain when he must have grabbed it too hard, and then took out a device from one of the pockets on his thighs. Watching the Mandalorian settle down, Elana pulled her knees to her chest, scooting closer to the rock behind her, once again scolding herself for her moment of weakness before. Why did she want to help him? Why did she constantly offer him help, water, food when he would not hesitate to let them die?

Why was she like this, giving away precious resources that could go to Bean to their captor?

He did not spare her a glance as he shuffled around on his seat, and pressed the device in his hand to the cut on his arm. Horrified, Elana gasped as it flared bright red, and the flesh sizzled. "What are you doing?" It escaped her before she thought about it, "Is that a _cauterizer?_ "

"Yes," was the only thing he said, before pressing it to the cut again.

The sound was gruelling, and when the Mandalorian gave a low groan at the pain, goosebumps spread over her whole body. "Stop that," she demanded, chest seizing up at the smell of burnt flesh, "You're hurting yourself."

"It'll get infected," he explained, infuriatingly calm, as if she were a child.

She huffed. "Doesn't that increase the likelihood of infection? With the inflammation--"

"I don't have time for that," the Mandalorian interrupted her.

"Fine," she rolled her eyes. _Get septicaemia for all I care._

He continued holding the cauterizer to his wound, sizzling filling the air, and Elana did her best to ignore the pained grunts and heavy breathing the Mandalorian let out, trying to stave off the nausea from the thought of someone doing something like that to themselves. Suddenly, Bean appeared right next to the Mandalorian, stretching his hand out, reaching up. Elana had not even noticed that he had left his pram. Grimacing at the strain, Bean stretched his hand out some more.

Before she could say or do anything, the Mandalorian softly pushed him away with his hand, and took Bean under his armpits, lifting him back into his pram in a matter of seconds, Bean making a disgruntled coo at the manhandling. She would have made a sound of protest if he had not been so... gentle with Bean. Staring at him, wide eyed, Elana felt something akin to hope fluttering in her chest.

Since she had started to care for Bean, she had noted that she could make many assumptions about a person, and be proven correct most of the time, simply by the way they treated the little one.

The Niktos had shown a full range of possibilities on how to gauge personalities. Those that did not spare him a glance veered towards the spectrum of untrustworthy, and those that cared enough to check up on him once in a while were the ones that Elana could go to if there was a problem. There were many impatient ones she did not care for in the slightest, since they had punished the baby for the smallest of things. But overall, the Niktos had been neutral to Bean, guarding him like they were hired to, but nothing more. And based on how the Mandalorian treated Bean, there was hope that he could be convinced to not hand them over to those that put a bounty on his head. It was basically impossible not to fall in love with Bean upon sight, anyways.

The Mandalorian started to repair his chest plate after sitting down, fixing something on it, the circuitry making violent sparks fly. Something clicked, and the chest plate gave a whirring sound, the Mandalorian exhaling in relief as it booted up.

Elana had a sharp eye on Bean now, quietly observing what he was trying to do. After jumping out of the pram, landing lightly, he waddled towards the Mandalorian, and stretched out his hand again, whining slightly. A choked off sound that came from the Mandalorian as he noticed Bean made the little child warble even more, his voice almost scolding. If it was not so bizarre, Elana would have laughed.

After a short glance towards her, the bounty hunter stood up, bent over, carefully picked Bean up again, and set him down in the pram. Bean looked up at him, big eyes questioning, ears perked up, cooing at him. The Mandalorian hesitated before he pushed a button on his vambrace and the lid closed with a hiss.

The man looked at her, visor menacingly tilted down. "What did he want?" he asked, still a bit breathless, chest probably heaving from the brutal way he had used the cauterizer on himself.

Elana looked up, and could not help but feel proud of Bean. "That, Mandalorian," she said quietly, "was him trying to help you."

His body language was incredulous. "Why would he do that?"

She glared up at him, straightening up. "Because you were in pain."

The Mandalorian scoffed slightly. "He should not care," he said stiffly, which made Elana scoff as well.

"Do you think he understands that?" she snapped, brows furrowed at the bounty hunter, "The only thing he could see was that you were cauterizing your cut with that kriffing atrocious thing."

He said nothing, just turned his head to the pram, watching it quietly. Then, with a sigh, he returned to fiddling with his chest plate, not sparing her another glance.

She made a face at him, before turning around and laying on the cold floor, pulling the threadbare blanket around her shoulders. Keeping her back firmly to the rock formation behind her, she fell asleep with the light of the lamp illuminating their makeshift campsite.

The next morning, she woke before the Mandalorian did, sunrise announcing itself through the pink and purple swirls in the sky. Watching as it turned gold, she tucked her hair neatly into braids, and finished as the Mandalorian gave a start and sat up.

Looking at the pram first, then at her, he started packing the lamp and other supplies away while she folded the blanket and put it into her backpack. Frowning at the leather straps, discoloured from sweat, she sighed. When they arrived at some place with water she would try to clean it up some. Button pressed, the pram opened, and Bean sat up sluggishly, blinking, still half asleep.

Whining slightly, he held his arms up, wanting to be taken, and Elana quickly put her backpack on, scrambled up and hoisted him into her arms. He snuggled into her, and gave a slight snore, evidently falling asleep again. Taking a look at the Mandalorian, already finished with packing and waiting for them, cuff in his hand. Elana held Bean closer, sending him a glare. The Mandalorian only sighed, and packed the cuff away for now.

They took off, Bean still in her arms until he was fully asleep again, and Elana put him back into the pram once the bond let her know that he was drifting into dreams, letting him snooze a bit. As if he had been waiting for Elana to have her arms free to use again, the Mandalorian was quick in securing her the moment Bean was in the pod.

The sun rose behind them, elongating their shadows in front of them, and they worked their way up a steep hill. She was glad when they went over the ledge, and the ground evened out to a flat, which went on for some kilometers all around.

"We're not far now," the Mandalorian said suddenly, and she could not help but to tense up.

"Where are you taking us?" Elana asked.

He exhaled with a crackle of the modulator in his helmet. "To my ship," he said. She scoffed.

"Ha, ha, very funny, I did not gather that," Elana muttered, "Where are we going?"

"To a client."

"And they are?"

"Confidential."

She looked at him, face deadpan, and opened her mouth for a retort before she thought better of it. If he did not want to talk, fine. It was unlikely that he would give any more information to her. And she did not even know what information _could_ help her in some way.

They walked for at least half an hour before something blinked a kilometer away, reflecting the sunlight. Based on the relieved slump in the Mandalorian's shoulders, even though he did not make a sound, she gathered that it must be his ship.

 _The countdown started_ , she thought grimly to herself, and felt herself tensing up. _No way back._ She took back everything she had thought the last two days, every sullen complaint that she ached, that she wanted to be out of the sun, that she was tired and thirsty, because the complete _fear_ she felt made her long for the moments where the end was not as apparent.

In a few hours Bean would be handed over to some _client_ of the Mandalorian, and Maker knows what they wanted with her child.

They had to take a longer route around though, since a canyon was cutting straight through the more direct path, and soon the glinting disappeared. Making their way towards the ship from another angle, it steadily came closer with every step they took. A spark of hope grew in her heart as she heard some noises, carried over by the wind.

It sounded like Jawas, her mind supplied, and the Mandalorian must have come to the same conclusion, for he increased his pace. They walked over the rocky stone edge, shouting filling the air as the bounty hunter became more and more tense with every step. When they finally arrived at the overhang, there was a huge Sandcrawler next to a silver ship, the smaller one half disassembled.

The Jawas were whooping in joy and talking amongst themselves as they manhandled the pieces to their Sandcrawler.

The Mandalorian took off his rifle in a smooth motion, yanked the end piece off and held it to his visor, and Elana realized that it must have been some scope. He then lifted his rifle, it gave a click under a practised flip and started whirring in a foreboding manner. He fired.

A Jawa disintegrated.

She flinched at that, the knowledge of the Mandalorian having such a weapon still making her nauseous.

Bean leaned forward, interest suddenly spiking along their bond. The Jawas started to flee, running into their Sandcrawler, but the Mandalorian got another shot in, and reloaded his rifle. The little child watched the Mandalorian take out several Jawas, ears perked high, and Elana grimaced at the fact that Bean was exposed to this much violence in the span of only a few days. It would be a marvel if he did not have any sort of nightmares afterwards.

The huge structure started to move, and the Mandalorian was quick to give chase, the pram floating along.

"Hey!" Elana yelled, scrambling to get behind them, " _hey!_ "

The Mandalorian was wickedly fast, gaining speed quickly while she struggled with jumping down the rocky terrain without breaking an ankle, especially with no free hands to catch herself if she fell. She caught up somewhat when the bounty hunter dropped to his knee, Bean’s pod right beside him, and fired at the machinery in the back of the Sandcrawler. He then ran behind it again, his frame becoming smaller and smaller in comparison to the looming structure, before he jumped up, pulling himself onto the fast moving thing.

 _He is crazy_ , Elana thought, running behind them, not knowing what else to do. Stay? Then she would be left alone while he was doing who knows what, and since Bean was attached to him, his pod swerving safely around any obstacles, she had to go after them. Even if she could not keep up with the running or the speed for long, she had to stay with them, so she could at least follow what was happening with her eyes.

The Mandalorian was trying to climb up the Sandcrawler using the ladder, and the Jawas veered to the side, trying to scrape him off on a rock, but he somehow managed to stay on top of the ledge he was positioned on.

She could see how the Jawas started to throw parts at him, doing their best to slow him down, but the bounty hunter was still unerringly trying to get to the Jawas, climbing with visible effort.

Elana could not follow everything while she was running behind them, for the parts that the Jawas had thrown to slow down the Mandalorian succeeded in slowing _her_ down. Having to watch her step carefully so she would not skewer her foot by stepping on some rusty pipe or stumbling over a Jawa corpse, she missed the point where he launched a rope from his armour, using that to pull himself up.

 _He's crazy,_ she thought, breathing hard as she ran as fast as she could, switching her focus between small white pram floating behind the Mandalorian, and the Mandalorian himself, _He’s lost it._

How did he think that he had the slightest chance against the whole Sandcrawler and the tribe inside? _Completely nuts._

Elana could not believe her eyes when he actually reached the top after some struggle, his frame now tiny because of the distance, but the begrudging respect that budded was quickly replaced with dread as the Jawas electrocuted him.

She could see him swaying slightly before falling down, the moments seeming endless. Wincing at how hard he hit the ground, Elana tried to increase her speed, but it still took too long until she was near enough, the speed of the Sandcrawler putting a decent distance between them.

Arriving at the fallen Mandalorian, wheezing in exhaustion and heart beating fast from the run, it took everything in her to not just collapse on the spot. Placing her hands on her knees and taking a few moments to _suffer_ , Elana gasped for air, feeling her sides burn.

The Mandalorian was sprawled out across the ground, completely still, but his stomach continued to move up and down.

"He's breathing," she told Bean, who was watching with worried eyes, soft coos coming from the small creature, and she straightened up, breathing deeply, "He is probably alive."

Elana really hoped that he was. Not necessarily because she liked him, quite the opposite, out of necessity. If he died, she and Bean would be kilometers away from any kind of civilization, in the middle of the desert, food and water, even with the moisture bead, scarce. And if the hunters from yesterday were any indication, they were probably wanted by even more people.

She would rather take her chances with the Mandalorian, who had not hit them when he fancied it in the last two days, who treated Bean gently, and had not made a pass at her, knowing that she could not properly defend herself.

It was not the _highest of standards_ , Elana had to concede, but it was unlikely that other hunters would be as 'pleasant' as the Mandalorian was.

Getting closer to the sprawled out Mandalorian, she peered down at him, brows raised. Then, she looked back at Bean who was watching them. Then back to the Mandalorian again.

She nudged his leg slightly with her foot. "... Mandalorian?" she asked, tilting her head as she nudged him again, this time against his side.

He did not stir.

Feeling worried now, she dropped to her knees, and poked him, instantly withdrawing in case the Mandalorian woke up and took her finger off without a warning. Bean sent something that she could interpret as worry, and a picture of blue sparks and a fuzzy feeling flooded the bond. He was showing her what happened, Elana realized, and looked at the Mandalorian again.

She honestly did not know what to do. Should she take his armour off to check for injuries? The way he fell, he could have sustained some heavy damage. Broken bones? Concussions? Maker, spinal injuries?

Could he have split his head open and Elana would not notice? Was he bleeding out somewhere beneath the armour? Hesitant fingers hovered above his armour, before settling on his chest plate, giving him a tentative shake.

Nothing.

Elana bit her lip, feeling conflicted. She knew that there was something about a Mandalorian's helmet, that it should not be removed by others, or was it that only they could remove it? And he had only taken it off to drink or eat when she was tied up against the pram. For a short second she thought about manipulating the bounty hunter's arms in a way to take off his own helmet but discarded that thought just as quickly as it had appeared in her head.

"What do you think, Bean? What should I do?" Elana asked, looking to the baby as if he could give her an answer.

Bean cooed, tilting his head to the side.

"I don't want to disrespect the guy's culture, if you get me?"

Bean nodded gravely, as if to say _'yeah, I get you'._

Elana exhaled a breath, lips pursing, contemplating what to do. She really did not want to take off his armour and maybe do something culturally insensitive, but what if he had an injury that she could treat? She did not have many medical supplies, but if there was a small wound? What if he needed to sit up? What if there was something that needed instant medical attention?

Elana shifted on her knees, and leaned over the Mandalorian, taking notice of how he was breathing. Still breathing?

"Oh Maker," she huffed in despair, "Maker above."

She settled her fingers slightly around his helmet, and tried to gather enough courage to pull it up, heart beating fast in her chest.

"I'm sorry, Mandalorian, if this is something extremely taboo that I'm doing here, but honestly--" Elana gave a short nervous laugh, "Yeah, I'm sorry. Please don't kill me afterwards, that would be very much appreciated." She tried to lift it, not even raising it half a centimeter before his hand wrapped tight around her wrist, almost giving her a heart attack.

The world suddenly went flying and she found herself pinned under the Mandalorian, his hand curling around her throat, the other pressing her into the ground. She gasped, both in shock and at the force with which he had slammed her into the ground, and clawed at his hand, scrabbling underneath him.

"I'm sorry, _I'm sorry,_ " she got out, "Thought you were injured, tried to help--"

The words grew more panicked as she tried to speak around the pressure on her windpipe. Elana could faintly hear Bean squeaking in alarm.

"It is _forbidden,_ " he snarled at her, voice impossibly rough, before letting up, leaving her gasping and floundering on the floor.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, tears in her eyes, coughing from the steel grip that had only just been on her throat. Rubbing against it, she winced. _Would that leave a bruise?_ She hoped not.

The Mandalorian's breath was ragged as he clumsily stood up, chest heaving as he stood above her. "I should kill you for that."

Elana swallowed thickly, staring up at him with watering eyes, trying to hold back the cough building in her throat. "I did not know it was forbidden, I swear," she tried to explain herself, "I know that Mandalorians don't take their helmets off but I assumed, with injuries--"

"Yeah, you _assumed,_ " he interrupted her, sounding angry, hand twitching towards his blaster. She flinched back, and apologised again, staring at the ground, blood rushing in her ears. Bean was squeaking indignantly in his pram, a frown on his face.

"I only wanted to check for injuries, I swear," she whispered, hoping the Mandalorian would believe her.

He turned around, and looked after the huge trail the Sandcrawler had left, before letting out a huge sigh. Elana stood up, discreetly patting down the dust on her clothes and checking up on Bean, who was making questioning sounds at her, his ears hanging low. I'm okay, she sent to him, along with a smile.

The Mandalorian looked back to them, his shoulders dropping again. "Just this once, caretaker," he said, towering above her as he stared her down. She nodded quickly, shrinking back in fear. With that threat, he stalked past her, whole body tense, and started to walk back the way they had come.

She stared after him, heart beating fast in her chest, mind reeling. Bean's pram floated past her, and he cooed at her, hand stretched out as if he was urging her to follow.

Elana might not have understood the scale of what had just happened, but she knew that the Mandalorian would not have hesitated to shoot her. Or snap her neck. There were several times when she wanted to open her mouth and ask whether or not he was all right, he did fall from an incredibly dangerous height onto his back, but she was too scared of him going off at her again. They walked back in silence, the Sandcrawler having left an unmistakable path they could easily follow. Looking up into the sky, she noticed that it would not be long until the sun set. The Mandalorian walked with a straight back, but his step was slower than before. She contemplated asking if he was injured again, but thought better of it.

It took a while until they arrived at the Mandalorian's ship, various pieces of it lying on the ground around it. The ship was stripped, pieces on the side missing, and from what she could spot the engine was basically gutted. There was no way that the ship could make it into space.

The Mandalorian let out a string of curses that crackled through the modulator, and pointed a finger at her. " _You_ stay here," he commanded, body tense, and he pressed the button on his vambrace so Bean's pram did not follow him, inching it towards her with a motion of his arm before whipping around, starting to examine what was left of the ship.

It was large, unpainted and silver except for some faded designs on the sides, and a model that was older than herself. Scratch that, it could very well be from the time before the Empire. Elana wondered how well it was holding up before the Jawas got to it.

Seeing this as a good moment to rest her legs, she sat down on the ground, Bean's pram next to her, and she took out the water bottle. First giving Bean something, the little one drinking in big gulps, obviously thirsty, and then took sips herself.

She heard a loud bang from inside the ship, and exchanged a glance with Bean. "Someone's angry," she said to Bean, and he cooed in agreement.

A movement from the cockpit drew her eye, and she could see a glint through the viewport, which was probably the helmet of the Mandalorian. Shortly after, the ship started whirring, and the left repulsor gave a huff before shutting down. Then, the right one did the same.

"The ship can't fly, you see, Bean?" Elana could not help but smile, feeling exceedingly petty. Bean nodded in agreement, ears perking up as he babbled to her. She reached a hand into the pram, and he grasped at her fingers, holding them tightly. He held out his other hand, and beckoned for her to pick him up. Elana did, and put him in her lap.

Bean frowned at her, and wriggled. She frowned right back. "You don't want to be held?" Something creeped across their bond, and she could not help but raise an eyebrow at what he wanted.

"The Mandalorian? Are you _sure?_ "

He pointed towards the ship, and started wriggling again. Setting him down, he started to waddle directly to it, and a tug across their bond made her follow him. Bean struggled across the packed ground, and then up the ramp into the ship. She was right behind him, watching the small one like a hawk so if he stumbled or fell she could instantly get to him.

Bean reached the top, and chirped loudly into the ship, ears high and reaching his arms inside.

"Where is your caretaker?" The Mandalorian asked Bean, voice rough. She poked her head into the ship, and gave a tiny, only slightly sarcastic wave. He sighed, before pushing himself up from the cub he had been leaning against.

"Shouldn't you know better than to let him wander?" He accused, tilting his head at her.

Elana shrugged instead of answering, eyes narrowed. How _dare_ he try to tell her how to handle Bean?

The Mandalorian pushed past her, his steps ringing loudly on the durasteel floor of his ship. "Come," he said, and started off walking again.

Elana rolled her eyes, and scooped Bean up, who protested with a whine.

"Where are we going?" she asked, almost afraid of an answer.

"Somewhere safer than here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!! Your support means everything to me🥺🥺❤


	4. The Farmer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They arrive at a blurrg farmer's home, and rest before trying to find the Sandcrawler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: (implied) past child abuse, child in distress, hostages

Elana and the Mandalorian, accompanied by Bean in his pod, started walking again. The sun was setting behind them, and after an hour of constant walking, they arrived at a blurrg farm. The sky was turning violet, the colour replacing the pink and gold from before, slowly fading into deep blue.

"I thought you were dead." An old Ugnaught in a protective suit with goggles atop his head greeted the Mandalorian, before nodding at Elana.

"I need your help," the Mandalorian said through gritted teeth.

"I figured as much," the Ugnaught said wryly, "Otherwise you would not be here with your bounties, but in your ship, headed to Nevarro now."

 _Nevarro_. Elana tucked that name away for later, unsure if she had ever heard of it before.

"I can't fly," the bounty hunter snarled, "Jawas got to it."

The Ugnaught hummed thoughtfully, grabbed two water bottles, and walked over to them. "Will you need water?" He offered kindly, and after a nod from the Mandalorian, he gave it to him.

"You can go into my home to drink in privacy, Mandalorian. We will not disturb you in there."

The Mandalorian disappeared into the aforementioned home, pushing the curtain that made the entrance to the side and entering it.

The Ugnaught smiled at her, and gave her the other bottle, and Elana drank carefully, trying not to down it all at once. Then she pushed the button that opened the pram, revealing Bean who took in his surroundings with big eyes and exited coos. Visible confusion overcame the Ugnaught's face.

"Remarkable," he muttered, before gesturing to Bean. "You can let your child run around for a bit. I am sure he has been sitting all day." Overwhelmed with the simple kindness in the farmer's voice, she could do nothing but nod, planning to do as he suggested. Elana gave Bean some water first, and he drank so quickly that he sloshed some water over his robe, babbling unhappily at that, frowning down at the dark splotch. She huffed a smile, and then helped him drink again.

When Elana lifted him out of the pram to let him stretch his legs, he squeaked in confusion, and lingered by her when she set him down, looking up at her. With a small encouraging smile from her, Bean took off with a loud coo, already finding something he could play with.

"So you're the bounty?" The Ugnaught scrutinised her, "I did not expect this."

The Mandalorian appeared again, and cut in before she could answer herself, "The child is the bounty, not her."

The Ugnaught raised his brows, before asking: "That is what was causing all the fuss?"

"It's a child." With those words, the Mandalorian stalked towards the working space of the Ugnaught by the side of the house, and started to fix the damaged parts of his armour.

"It is better to deliver it alive then," the Ugnaught said, tilting his head, and then looking Elana over. "Are you it's caretaker?"

"Yes," she whispered, unsure how much she should reveal. But before she could open her mouth again, the bounty hunter started to speak, effectively cutting her off.

"My ship has been destroyed," the Mandalorian said, "I'm trapped here."

"Stripped," the farmer corrected, "Not destroyed." Fixing the other man with a grave look, he continued. "The Jawas steal. They don't destroy."

"Stolen or destroyed – makes no difference to me," the Mandalorian shot back, sounding angry.

Bean was on the ground, stumbling behind some mudjumpers, trying to catch them while happily yelling and making noises. Keeping an eye on the toddler, Elana listened to the conversation carefully.

"They're protected by their crawling fortress. There is no way to recover the parts." Giving a heavy sigh, the bounty hunter started to fiddle with his vambrace.

"You can trade," the Ugnaught simply said, much to her surprise, and Elana turned to them, frowning. She had dealt with Jawas before, being fairly neutral towards them but she was always under the assumption that Jawas saw what they scavenged as their property, with a finders-keepers mentality.

The Mandalorian seemed to agree with her. "With Jawas? Are you out of your mind?

"I will take you to them," the Ugnaught said, and nodded. "I have spoken."

When she looked over to Bean, he had caught himself a mudjumper with a squeal, and she smiled. His coordination was improving, Elana remembered how proud he was the first time he had caught the frog species, and how he wanted to show it to her, but it escaped right under his nose. Bean had been inconsolable for over an hour. She nodded encouragingly at him, shooting him a bright smile.

"Hey!" The Mandalorian suddenly barked at Bean, making her flinch, "Spit that out."

Bean did not listen to him though, and just swallowed the mudjumper in one piece. He then burped loudly, beaming up at them and giggling. The Mandalorian sighed.

She glared at him. "He likes frogs, okay? Could you not raise your voice at him?" Elana asked, raising an eyebrow. She did not back down when the visor suddenly trained on her, ready to stand her ground if an argument started. Bean had been shouted at too many times in his life already, and she was determined to minimize further verbal abuse like that towards the small child.

"Rest here for the night, Mandalorian. You and your bounties need rest, and I have shelter," the Ugnaught said peacefully, diffusing the tension between them, and gestured to the hut behind him. The Mandalorian nodded in silent thanks before following the Ugnaught into his living quarters. Elana followed after getting Bean into his pram, the angle at which she held him uncomfortable with the cuffs, but manageable, and quietly praised him for his mudjumper catch.

Inside it was warm and dark, and the entire room felt homey in a way she could not quite describe. Letting out a long, relieved sigh at finally having a roof over their heads and some decent shelter for the night, Elana looked around, observing the interior. Bean was sitting upright in his pram, taking in the new sights curiously, babbling quietly. 

"Can you take off my binds?" she requested, holding out her hands to the Mandalorian. He visibly hesitated before coming near and pressing the lock system. The cuffs loosened and she could not help but gasp slightly when the pressure eased, revealing skin that has been rubbed raw. Taking her hands close to her chest, she wrapped a hand around her wrist and shrunk back from the Mandalorian. 

"Thank you," Elana said, not meeting his gaze. Bean cooed loudly, and she turned around, scooping him up, her back to the Mandalorian, protective of the baby in her arms. The weight of the little one against her was comforting, and he snuggled closer to her as well, pressing his face between her collarbones. Giggling slightly at the tickling sensation of him breathing against her, she pressed a kiss onto his forehead, simply breathing him in.

"We need to give you a bath, little one," she murmured against his skin, and he made a whine in response. Elana pulled him back, and looked down at him, booping his button nose with her pointer finger. "No whining, honey," she said, "You're _dirty._ "

His little mouth dropped open as if he wanted to protest, but she turned her head towards the Ugnaught, effectively ignoring the pout Bean gave her. "Excuse me," she asked politely, "do you have a sonic shower?"

The Ugnaught huffed, and walked over, gesturing for her to follow him. With a glance at the Mandalorian, who just watched them, she followed him, Bean on her hip. He led her to a small bathroom, and with delight she saw that there was a bathtub with a showerhead attached.

"A water bath," she whispered, a thankful smile on her face. _Finally she could get all the grime and sweat from her body._

Turning to the Ugnaught, she gave him a bright smile. "Thank you so much!"

He smiled back, eyes impossibly kind. "I imagine you would prefer this over a sonic shower," he rumbled, walking towards the shower and tapping on it, "it will run a full ten minutes for you and your child."

"Ten minutes?" She asked in shock, "this is too much, I can't waste your water like that."

"This farm has many tanks full of water. Most of them go to the blurrgs, not much is used by me. You can take what you need." Elana looked between the showerhead and the Ugnaught, feeling conflicted. 

She would have _loved_ a water shower after months of only sonics in the Niktos encampment. But she did not want one enough to take water away from the kind farmer, even if he helped the Mandalorian. "Are you sure?" She asked, Bean becoming fussy in her arms. Elana repositioned him again and pressed his side lightly, willing him to stay quiet for some moments more.

The Ugnaught nodded, "I will leave you to it," he said, and raised a hand in goodbye when he turned. "I have spoken."

Blinking at that strange phrase again, she took one more thorough look at the bathroom. A small sink with a mirror was on the side, and towels were stacked on top of a small dresser. A half opened window had a curtain that she pulled closed, and she set down Bean in the sink so he would not escape. There was both cold and warm water, she noted with a pleased smile, and took off her shoes while Bean was babbling in the sink.

"Okay, honey," she announced, "We're gonna get you clean." Bean looked up at her, and tilted his head. She took him out of the sink again, and turned the water on, carefully adjusting between warm and cold water until the sink was filled enough to bathe Bean. Taking off the brown robe of the child, tugging it carefully over his big head and ears, she set him in the water.

He made a loud squeal, and started to kick frantically. Elana laughed at him, and poured water over his back as he squeaked at her, a big frown on his wrinkled face.

"Don't make that face at me, mister," she admonished as she took the soap piece sitting on a small rock beside the sink and started to rub it over his green skin. She took care to wash thoroughly behind his ears and between his claws, and was careful when she washed his face. After Elana got him completely clean, she let out the dirty water from the sink, and rinsed him off before letting the sink fill up again with clean water.

"You sit in here, okay?" Elana said, and started taking her clothes off, "Sit here like a good baby while I shower?" Bean patted the water excitedly, and cooed, smile bright as he sat in the sink. She had taken care that the water level would not be too high, so that even if he slipped there was no danger of him drowning.

Readying herself, she climbed into the shower, and let out a sigh of relief as the water spray hit her. She gave herself full five seconds to enjoy it before starting to wash herself quickly, not wanting to waste too much of the water, even if it was offered freely.

It was pure bliss to be able to rinse off the sweat and grime from the last two days, and it was wonderful to get herself clean with the industrial soap bar and the shampoo of the Ugnaught. All too soon she was finished, quicker than the ten minute timeframe the Ugnaught had given her, and she climbed out of the shower, using the towel to get herself dry. Making a towel hat - and she had to smile at how long ago it had been since the last time she had made one - the familiar motion soothing, she checked up on Bean, who was splashing happily in the sink.

Thank the Maker he was not making a big mess, there was barely any water on the floor. But even if there had been, she could not have been mad at Bean, who wore a huge smile as he put his face in the water and blew, making bubbles appear. When he emerged, he was giggling so much that he fell backwards, sliding down the curved sink. 

"Enjoying yourself, sweetpea?" She asked, pulling her clean clothes on and working on rubbing her long hair dry. Bean giggled and looked up at her. "Do you want to get out?"

Bean shook his head no, and played with the water some more.

A knock came from the door.

"When will you be finished?" The Mandalorian's voice came through the wood, sounding surprisingly polite.

Elana looked between the door and Bean. "Uh," she licked her lips, nervous, not wanting to cut Bean's playtime short but wanting to make the Mandalorian wait even less.

"You can come in, I just need to dry him off," Elana decided to say, and went over to the dresser, taking a towel for Bean.

The Mandalorian opened the door, his frame almost too big for it, and he stopped in the hallway, gaze fixed on the baby. The small one's ears perked up at the sight of the bounty hunter, and he squealed happily, splashing the water in delight.

Elana quickly went over, took the child out of the sink, and let the water out before wrapping him in the too large towel, until only his ears poked out. As she quickly gathered the clothes she and Bean had discarded, the Mandalorian stood menacingly in the corner, waiting for her to finish. Hoisting the towel plus Bean up, she settled him on her waist, their clothes pinned underneath her arm. 

Not daring to look up, she stood with her arms full of things, waiting for the Mandalorian to make space so she could pass through. Her heart was beating fast, limbs almost seizing up in fear the longer she and Bean were under his scrutiny. He did, after another moment where his visor was trained on them, and let them through. Almost fleeing from him, she did not know if she imagined the sigh he gave as the door to the bathroom shut with a click.

Returning to the open space of the Ugnaught's hut, she busied herself with drying and clothing Bean, rubbing over the few white hairs on his head. The Ugnaught appeared, carrying a tray with some mugs, and set it down on the table in the back of the room.

"Would you like tea?" He asked, and Elana nodded. 

"Yes, please," she said politely as she carried Bean over to him, making her way carefully around the crates in the middle. She put Bean in her lap and he cooed at the Ugnaught, a spark of curiosity coming from him.

"You looked like you needed some," the Ugnaught said, and handed her a steaming mug. Elana took it, and held in in her palms, letting it warm her. It smelled spicy, and she hoped that it tasted as good as it smelled. The tea being too hot to drink at that moment, she set it down on the table, far enough from Bean so he could not topple it.

"If I may ask, what is your name?" 

"You can call me Kuiil," he said, giving a grave nod.

She repeated the name, careful in her pronunciation, before giving him her own.

"I'm Elana, and this is Bean," she introduced herself, smiling at Kuiil. 

"You're not a bounty," he stated, raising an eyebrow. She nodded, biting her lip, looking down at the steaming tea. "I'm Bean's caretaker," she said quietly, "He's not going anywhere without me."

"I see."

"So you farm blurrg?" Elana asked, not knowing what else to say, "How do you domesticate them?"

"The key is to be patient, they can sense agitation," the Ugnaught said after a short pause of contemplation, "You have to stun them, of course, and then bring them back. Taming takes a while, but it is always worth it in the end."

"I've never ridden on a blurrg before," she said, "I imagine it would be very difficult."

Kuiil nodded, and sipped from his tea again. "It is again a matter of patience. A blurrg will not let one mount if there is no trust. To get a blurrg to trust you, you have to be calm."

Elana thought about it. "So is there a difference in, let's say, riding horses and blurrgs?"

"Blurrgs are more likely to bite," Kuiil said dryly, "The Mandalorian felt the wrath of it when he arrived."

She blinked, surprised.

Kuiil simply hummed, before continuing, "Then again, he tried to roast it." What had been her earlier assessment? That the Mandalorian was nuts? It seemed as if she was correct.

"But he told me that he arrived on a blurrg," she pointed out. Well, it was not actually what he had outright said, but they had shared a short conversation over that right after they left the encampment.

"He did. He learned to ride blurrg."

She could not help a slight snort. "I imagine the learning process was quick?"

Kuiil chuffed, visibly amused. "You could say that. Along with his pride, his tailbone was bruised."

A laugh bubbled out of her without her realising, and she pressed a hand to her mouth to muffle the sound. There was a pause between them that was broken up by a noise from the little child.

"You will stay here tonight, and rest," Kuiil said, "Tomorrow we will search for the Jawas, for they are often wandering around the desert." He took a sip from his mug, and mulled over it. "I only have one guest room to offer, I'm afraid," he said next, and Elana felt the smile on her face freeze, heart dropping into her stomach. "I will get you something you can sleep on."

"So we will share a room?" She asked, unable to hide her trepidation at the prospect. It was one thing to sleep in general proximity with their captor when they were out in the desert, dependent on shelter, but now? 

Elana definitely did not want to sleep in the same room as the Mandalorian, especially not wanting him anywhere near Bean.

"Yes, I apologise. I can show it to you," he said, and Elana simply stared at him for a moment, not quite knowing what to say.

"All right," was what she settled on eventually, and added a "Thank you" because she started to feel guilty.

It was not Kuiil's fault that he did not have more rooms, and it was not even his obligation to give them shelter. And she did not want to be ungrateful, especially after he had let her use water for the first time in so long. After finishing her tea with Kuiil, he stood up and lead her into a side room. She could not use the pram since the Mandalorian had the controls, so she took Bean with her. There were two mattresses stacked against a wall, and she could not help the face she made at the sight. Kuiil started to tug one down, and laid it on the ground. Setting Bean down on the floor and gesturing for him to stay, she took the other mattress, and placed it as far as physically possible from the first. Which was not nearly enough for her tastes.

"I'll get you some blankets," Kuiil said, and went out again.

Bean waddled to her, wrapped his arms around her ankles, and looked up at her. Bending down, she stroked his ears and sighed again. Taking him in her arms, she figured she could get Bean to sleep while she was waiting, wanting to avoid keeping the Mandalorian up with the baby.

She started to hum, placing his head on her shoulder, and swayed slightly. Bean made a noise of protest, and she shushed him. "You're gonna sleep now, honey," Elana told him, "And you're not gonna complain about it, okay? Tomorrow's a new day, and you need to have bright eyes when it comes." Humming some more, it did not take long until he was snoring against her, ears twitching in his sleep. 

She sat down on the mattress, waiting for the Mandalorian to appear.

He did, after a few minutes, a bundle of blankets in his arms. But somehow, those blankets did nothing to soften his look, the repaired pieces of armour back in place, the always present helmet glaring menacingly down at her. Elana stared up at him, feeling her throat seize up, fear starting to build up within her.

"Could you get the pram in here?" She asked, voice quiet but firm.

He nodded, and pressed a button on his vambrace. The pram floated through the open doorway a moment later.

With a slight wave of his arm, he positioned the pram closer to her, which she was thankful for. Prying the snoring Bean off her shoulder, Elana placed him in the pram after giving him a peck on his forehead. His nose twitching, Bean reached out to her with a small hand as if he wanted to grasp at her. With an involuntary smile, she granted a finger, planning to let him hold onto it for a while. When she looked up, the Mandalorian was watching them, and she automatically tensed, shifting so she could shield Bean if necessary.

 _Do not touch my child_ , she dared silently, glaring into the black T-visor even though he terrified her.

He did not say a word, but slightly tilted his head, and somehow Elana knew that the meaning had been conveyed. He gave her the blankets, and sat down on his own mattress. He did not take any for himself.

"What about you?" Elana asked, unwilling to interact more than she needed to, but it seemed unfair to her that he gave her two blankets when she did not need that much.

The modulator crackled. "Don't need them."

She hesitated, before asking again. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Are you alright? You did fall from pretty high up," Elana said, unable to keep the question to herself anymore. 

"I'm fine." His tone was clipped and final, so she took it as it was, and shut up.

Shrugging to herself, she folded one of the blankets so it could be a pillow, then reached over and placed it on his side. "Have this at least," she said, before shaking out her own blanket, and reaching up to extinguish the flickering light above them.

The room was plunged into darkness, the only light coming from the main room and the night sky full of stars outside.

Elana settled down, the pram at the head of the mattress, and placed the blanket over herself. It smelled vaguely of blurrg, but she could not find it in herself to complain. Finally able to rest her aching body from two days of strenuous activity, it did not take long before she fell asleep.

The next morning she was awoken by a blurrg's roar. Startled awake, she sat up and looked around. The Mandalorian was missing, but when she looked around, she could see Bean sitting in his pram, tapping a rhythm only he knew onto his blanket. He made a coo when he noticed that she was awake, and scooted forward to her, ears high.

"Morning, honey," she greeted, stifling a yawn, "Where is that Mandalorian, huh?"

He babbled, and she got the impression from him that the bounty hunter had not left long ago. Pulling her boots on, and putting her hair in a braid, she scrubbed over her face, getting rid of the sleep still lingering in her system. Standing up, she noticed the folded blanket on the Mandalorian's side. He had used it, she noticed, and felt satisfaction well up in her, which she squashed a second later.

 _It does not matter, so what if the Mandalorian had taken her suggestion? It will not make him stop him from turning them in,_ she thought, sighing.

Bean made a coo, and patted his tummy, ears still high. "Are you hungry?" Elana asked, and took him out of the pram. Bean made an affirmative noise, and she pushed away the curtain, searching for her backpack. Kuiil was sitting at the table, a bowl of some kind of stew in front of him. The Mandalorian was nowhere in sight.

"Good morning, Elana," Kuiil said with a smile, and gestured for her to sit. She remained standing, needing to know something first.

"Morning," she smiled, before saying: "Bean here is hungry, do you have anything that I can warm up rations in?"

"Yes, but you will not need to. I have enough stew for both you and him," the old Ugnaught said before standing up, going into what she assumed to be a kitchen area.

Standing in the room, feeling a bit lost, she hoisted Bean up absentmindedly, him having slid down a bit. Kuiil returned after a short moment, two bowls in his hand. She nodded her thanks, smiling at him before sitting down at the table. The stew was bland but it was fine, and Bean ate enough for her to be content, even though it was an uphill battle with him wriggling around.

The Mandalorian came in, told her "Get yourself ready" and then left again. She blinked at the brusque tone, and then sighed. Wiping the excess stew from Bean's mouth, she stood up, and did as the Mandalorian told her.

"Can you watch him for a second?" Elana asked Kuiil, who nodded, and left him there to pack her stuff together.

It did not take long, but she made sure to refill the water bottle, mentally preparing herself for another day of being in the direct sun. Looking at herself in a mirror, washing her face quickly and then slinging her backpack over her shoulders, she went back and collected Bean.

The pram had been moved outside, she quickly discovered, and saw that there was a large platform drawn by a single blurrg. The Mandalorian was fiddling with the rifle, checking on something, the menacing _clicks_ sending shivers down her back. As soon as he saw her, he straightened up and took out the cuffs once more.

She suppressed a sigh. "Again?" Elana asked, holding her wrist protectively against herself, the skin still an angry red and faintly throbbing. The Mandalorian did not respond, but held them out in front of her. Eyes on the ground, she offered him her wrists, wincing as the cuffs clasped around the raw skin once again.

Kuiil appeared behind them, carrying a big crate, and lifted it onto the transporter. Huffing as he turned around, he raised his eyebrows at them. "Do you want to find the Jawas or not, Mandalorian?" Kuiil asked, and climbed onto his seat. The bounty hunter followed suit, sitting down on one of the crates, the pram with Bean in it floating after him. After glancing at the Mandalorian, she climbed on top as well, and sat down. The sky was cloudy, a rarity for Arvala-7, and she wondered if it might rain later on.

She hoped not.

The blurrg started to move, and it was _slow_. She half expected it to break out into a full run at some point, but the blurrg moved slowly and steadily. From the way the Mandalorian exhaled in impatience she could guess that he was not happy with the speed either.

Bean was curious, pointing at the blurrg several times, and even if he could only see the backside of it, he was clearly excited to be near the big beast. Elana kept a sharp eye on him, knowing full well that he would leave the pod if he truly wanted to. He was always good at landing lightly and from experience she knew that the little one could wreck havoc in a matter of seconds.

They traveled for several hours, and she was unbelievably grateful that it was not as hot as the last two days. It made travelling a lot more pleasant and bearable, even if the company was kind of lacking - Bean excluded, of course.

The Ugnaught did not say much, and he stayed out of the Mandalorian's way, which meant that he did not interact with her except when necessary. And the Mandalorian had as much conversational engagement as a rock.

It meant that the only thing that helped to pass the dull hours was the little child in the pram being an adorable distraction. Elana had started a little game with him, letting him tug at her finger and then taking it away. Bean was thoroughly entertained by it, giggling every time without fail, and she always switched it up some by tickling him at his neck, making him squeal in delight. She did not know if the Mandalorian was bothered by the ruckus Bean was making, but as long as he did not say anything, she continued. 

The clouds above them darkened and started to amass, and Elana caught herself looking up several times in worry. There was no shelter anywhere in sight, and they did not have anything they could use to protect themselves from rain.

"What happens if it storms?" Elana asked out loud, looking at the other two. 

"The Jawas will camp during a storm," Kuiil explained, turning around slightly, "This will be our opportunity to catch up with them."

"We'll keep going," the Mandalorian spoke up, voice clipped.

She tried to hide the scowl that crept up on her face but was not very successful at it. A clap of thunder rumbled across the sky, and Bean let out a scared coo. Hands reaching out to him before she could even think about it, Elana placed him into her lap, arm curling around his middle as much as the cuffs would allow, pulling him close. She could feel his little heart pumping fast under her palm, and he was looking up at the sky, ears lowered, a quiet whine escaping him.

Elana stroked the top of his head, whispering quiet words in his ear, trying to calm the child. He flinched with his whole body when the next roll of thunder came, turning around and burying his face in her stomach, claws gripping her shirt tightly.

"Hey, honey," she murmured, "It's just thunder, okay? It's loud but it's not dangerous." He whined again, and shivered.

The Mandalorian shifted on his seat, and sighed. She did not glare at him but it was a close thing. This time, a lightning bolt arced across the sky, the clouds looking almost black, and Bean started to cry, so scared Elana could feel it across the bond. Frantically trying to calm the baby, she held him closer and started to hum, swaying slightly from side to side. With every new instance of lightning or thunder he sobbed harder, his tears starting to seep through her shirt.

"Honey, sweetpea," Elana said, rubbing his back in a comforting manner, peppering kisses on his head, "I'm here, okay? Don't be scared, it's just a loud noise and some flashing lights."

Bean whined loudly, his little hands pressing in front of his eyes, making pitiful noises. And when she thought that it could not get worse, it started to pour down.

_Hard._

She started to curse under her breath, torn between wanting to get Bean into his pram where he could be dry, and holding him closer because he needed the comfort.

The Mandalorian made the decision for her by moving the pod right next to her, and opening it up. Not wanting the rain to soak through the blankets padded in there, she kissed the little one quickly, and placed him into the pram. With a quick push of the button, it closed and Bean could stay warm and dry. Elana still felt his fear over their bond, and sent as much warmth and reassurance back as she physically could, promising that she was there for him.

She was drenched within minutes, the heavy rain soaking her, and with the cold it was not long until she was shivering, she curled into herself, trying to preserve what little body warmth she had. Teeth chattering and head already aching, she clenched her jaw and resolved to deal with it. It did not matter that she would most likely catch a cold and be a miserable pile for the next few days while being under the usual heat of Arvala-7 again, for their captor would not care anyways.

Kuiil did not seem bothered by the rain wrapped in his heavy clothes, and with envy she realized that the rain pearled off the Mandalorian's undersuit and armour, probably waterproof.

She curled into herself even more, resting her head on her knees, leaning against the pram. After a short while of her trying to ignore the cold and the rain constantly battling against her back, the Mandalorian called her.

"Caretaker. Here," he said, and held out his cape to her. She stared at him, baffled.

"What?" 

"It's waterproof." He was still holding it out, helmet staring at her.

"Why?" Elana asked, and even if everything in her wanted to just rip it out of his hand and wrap it around herself, she felt that there must be more to it.

"You'll get sick. It'll slow us down," the Mandalorian said, voice dry as bone, the words spoken out of practicality instead of compassion.

She stared at him, and must have hesitated too long, because he just chucked it at her with a grunt. Sputtering at the sudden bundle of fabric in her face, she glared fiercely at him. He just turned around and stared stoically into the night again, and Elana could not help but feel that he was currently being the most dramatic person in the entire galaxy.

Elana scoffed quietly to herself, but begrudgingly wrapped the cape around her. It did not help warm her up much, because her clothes were still wet underneath it, but it was at least something.

A favour for a favour, Elana decided, remembering the times she offered him water and he always shut her down; it must have been some kind of twisted way to repay her kindness. And she really did not want to feel any kind of gratitude towards their captor, but since he offered her his cape, Elana thought that she could maybe reconsider her view on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all are the best I appreciate you very much❤ thank you for reading!!


	5. The Jawas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Negotiating with Jawas turns out to be easier than negotiating with a Mandalorian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: canon-typical violence (gun violence), separation from children

The four of them rode through the whole night, the storm thankfully letting up after a few hours and the rest of the night was spent under clear skies.

It was unbearably cold; the wet clothes stuck to Elana’s skin; her limbs were completely chilled through, she was constantly shivering, and goosebumps covered every inch of her body. Her fingers were almost blue, nails digging painfully into her palms but she could not bring herself to loosen them. Elana knew that if the Mandalorian had not given her his cape, the cold night of Arvala-7 would have finished her hours ago, the cold amplified by the damp clothes and the icy breeze.

She did everything to muffle the way her teeth were chattering, burying her face in her propped up knees, trying to preserve what little body warmth she still possessed. From what she could feel, Bean was soundly asleep even after the nasty shock he had received with the violent storm, and she tried to draw some of the fuzzy warm feelings over the bond, wrapping herself in a bubble of warmth. It was like a blanket placed around her, weighing her down and keeping the cold at bay. It felt like a warm rush through her entire body the more she drew on the bond, grasping it with shaky and unpractised fingers, trying not to grasp it too tightly so it would not slip between her fingers like sand. Maybe it was a placebo effect, maybe it truly helped, but Elana had a niggling feeling that without the bond she probably would not have survived the night.

When the sun finally rose after long hours of darkness, she could have cried in joy. The first rays of light were like a tender kiss, chasing the lingering cold away, and with every inch of the star in the Arvala system rising over the jagged mountain range on the horizon, Elana started to properly warm up, able to lessen her grip on the bond. It was not long, maybe a quarter of an hour before Kuiil cleared his throat, and spoke up.

"The Sandcrawler should not be far now, Mandalorian."

"Good," was the only thing he said, voice raspy from the night. Elana stared at what was in front of her, observing the reddish brown rocks bypassing them while chewing nervously at her lower lip. Was it childish of her to hope that the Jawas would not trade his parts back? To hope that they would deny the Mandalorian his request?

It probably would not help at all but she started praying to the Maker, unable to help her own pettiness. _Please don't let him get his parts back, please don't let him get his parts back, please let the Jawas be little annoying hellions that refuse him, please, please, please._

Elana opened the pram with still frozen fingers, checking on the baby, who was still snoring, his blanket lying haphazardly across his body. She tucked them into his side to keep him warm, and he just let out a loud snore in response. Bean woke up some time later, cooing loudly as he opened his eyes and frowned at the daylight. Sitting up and peering over the edge, he made another displeased squeak and laid down. He tumbled around in his pod until he finally settled down, burying his face in his pillow. Elana watched in amusement as his ears twitched and his claws kneaded his blankets until he turned around again, sat up, and put on the face of the grumpiest baby in the parsec.

He evidently did not want to be awake and was making that very clear by whining loudly, stretching his arms out to her. Elana was over by his side in a second, and placed him in her lap as best as she could with the cuffs, and she maneuvered her arms so he would be engulfed by them, pulling him close to her. He leaned his head back against her chest, and after a short fussy period, started to watch the sunrise.

The whole sky appeared as if it was aflame, orange melting into gold, the few stray clouds reflecting the light beautifully, and she could understand why Bean was enraptured with the sight. He looked up at her, and pointed towards the sky with a excited coo, and a faint _Pretty!_ was conveyed across the bond. She smiled at his reaction, and rested her cheek on top of his head, turning her face towards the Mandalorian. 

Judging by the tilt of his helmet, he had been watching them, and she just looked back, face blank, studying his helmet. 

_It was so simple_ , she thought. Just plain, unadorned silver beskar with a black T-visor, and the characteristic Mandalorian curve of the helmet at where the cheeks would be. And yet it was terrifying in its simplicity, a warning of its own. It seemed to scream _stay away_ , radiating an uncanny sense of danger that could be due to the beskar, maybe even due to the wearer underneath. Regardless of what it actually was, the fact remained that the bounty hunter was straight up terrifying.

How Bean was not scared of him, she would never know, because even she was scared of the Mandalorian.

Elana was ripped out of her musings as Kuiil spoke up. "The Sandcrawler is there," he said, pointing towards a tiny visible bit of the Sandcrawler that peeked out from behind some rock formations. 

The Mandalorian sat up straight, and readjusted the rifle resting on his thighs, hand twisting around a piece, making a quiet _click_.

"The rifle is not something the Jawas will like to see," Kuiil warned, turning around with a frown. 

The Mandalorian scoffed. "I don't care," was the only thing he said, and his hands tightened on the rifle.

It took about an hour more until they rounded the last corner, and the Sandcrawler came into sight once again. Elana had to swallow as she stared up at the huge structure, having been too far away to truly appreciate the absolute _size_ of it. How did creatures as tiny as Jawas manage to build something like that? There had to have been a whole Jawa village hidden inside the structure, every nook and cranny filled with the creatures.

Kuiil started to wave, and spoke something in a language she assumed to be Jawa, but hearing it from a species with a lower register than theirs was jarring. The Jawas started to stir while yells filled the air, and they propped up their blasters directly at them, the hostility in the air weighing down the interaction. "They really don't like you for some reason," Kuiil said while he turned around on his blurrg, raising an eyebrow at the Mandalorian, who sighed. 

"Well, I did disintegrate a few of them," the Mandalorian said wryly, and Elana huffed at the deadpan answer. _That was the understatement of the century._

"You need to drop your rifle," the Ugnaught instructed.

"I'm a Mandalorian," he said, "Weapons are part of my religion."

Elana could not help but stare at him. _Was having absolutely no sense in diplomacy also a part of his religion?_ , she snarked in her mind, rolling her eyes subtly. How did he expect to be able to get any of his parts back if he immediately went on the offensive? It was not that she actually _wanted_ him to get his parts back. Elana couldn’t care less about the Mandalorian. It would actually benefit her and Bean if the negotiations failed, and she was glad for anything that would set him back a bit. And if he wanted to be aggressive towards the Jawas, _fine_.

The Mandalorian was not only severely outnumbered, but outgunned as well. And if they got involved in a shootout, the only one that could be of help was Kuiil, as she was cuffed and her first priority would have been to get Bean to safety.

"Then you're not getting your parts back," Kuiil said, tone dry as bones, agreeing with her thoughts.

The Mandalorian sighed deeply. "Fine," he said, and in that singular word he managed to perfectly convey the level of his annoyance.

The clamouring of the Jawas became louder, and they yelled at each other, crowing voices filling the air. Bean shrank back in her arms, overwhelmed with the sudden increase in noises. The Mandalorian put the rifle down as Kuiil dismounted the blurrg, and dropped down from the sledge, trailing after the Ugnaught. The Jawas raised their guns at them, and Kuiil sighed heavily.

"And the blaster," he spelled out, and with an annoyed grunt, the Mandalorian chucked the gun right in front of her on the sledge, making her flinch from the sudden motion. And it was probably on purpose too, that _asshole_. Glaring up at him, he had already turned around, the sunlight reflecting off the back of his beskar helmet. She watched as both of them sat down with the Jawas, Kuiil with grace, the Mandalorian begrudgingly.

The negotiations started. 

Elana kept a careful eye on her companions, holding Bean close as some of the other Jawas started to advance, probably curious about the unlikely pair Bean and her made. She was aware that Jawas only stole parts and not creatures, thus she was not overly worried, but she still shielded Bean subtly, just in case one wanted to make a grab for her baby.

"They will trade all the parts for the beskar," she heard Kuiil say.

"I'm not gonna trade anything," the Mandalorian scoffed, venom dropping from his words, "These are _my_ parts. They stole them from _me_." Then he started to stutter a phrase in Jawa, pointing accusingly at the little robed creatures.

They replied something back in a mocking tone, the only word she was able to catch was "Wookie". Elana inwardly winced, recognising an insult when it was spoken, and with how tense the Mandalorian suddenly became, she prepared herself for an incoming confrontation. But still, she did not expect for him to snarl: "You understand _this?_ " and the blast of fire bursting from his vambrace right at the Jawas.

Even from the distance, she flinched back, suddenly glad that she had not talked back too much if that was the reaction he could have given. Mentally noting that she should shut her mouth in the future, Elana shifted Bean on her lap, who gave a concerned coo at her.

"No!" Kuiil yelled, and grabbed the Mandalorian's arm, "Whoa, easy, easy."

He started to talk in Jawa again, presumably apologising for the Mandalorian trying to roast them alive. The Jawas near her started to creep closer as the negotiations went on, the Mandalorian and Jawas having settled down, and she shrank back from the edge of the sled, slowly beginning to feel worried by the hungry gazes in the Jawa's shadowed faces.

"Get away from them!" The Mandalorian suddenly roared, and she gave a full body jerk at the rage in his voice, heart skipping a beat, the colour draining from her face. The Jawas scatter at the command, slinking away to mutter amongst them.

"There must be something else," she heard Kuiil say, voice relaxed, but she was too busy in calming her thundering heart after the scare the Mandalorian gave her. The Jawa turned around, starting to discuss amongst themselves, then turned back around. Had a solution been found?

The only word she could make out over the distance was " _Suga_ ". Elana frowned. _What was that?_

Kuiil groaned and let his face fall into his hand. 

"The Egg? What Egg?" The Mandalorian asked, head whipping around, confusion in his voice.

The Jawas started to chant gleefully: " _Suga! Suga, suga, suga!_ "

They were quick in ushering all of them up into the Sandcrawler, shouting and crowing as they went, the excitement in every Jawa palpable. The inside of the Sandcrawler was surprisingly clean, Elana thought, the parts that they had scavenged actually stacked carefully and sorted after size and use. Bean was sitting safe in his pram again and Elana kept a sharp eye on the floating pod while the Jawas were moving, parting like water around them.

The sled and the blurrg were also moved into the hull of the Sandcrawler, and as the ramp was lifted, dim orange lights inside flickered on, casting them all in soft, warm light. Shadows lingered in the corners of the structure, and every now and then glowing eyes stared back from the dark, making a shiver run down her back.

" _Suga_ ," a Jawa told her, whooping in joy as she hesitantly nodded, and waved his arms around, " _Suga!_ "

Elana leaned over to the Mandalorian, seeing Bean wriggle in his pram. "What does _suga_ mean?" Elana asked, looking up at the beskar helmet.< /> The bounty hunter sighed deeply. "An egg," he explained, "They say it's a Mudhorn egg."

"A Mudhorn?" Elana stared at him, before letting out an incredulous laugh, "Are you serious?"

He said nothing, just tilted his head at her, and she realised that _yes, he was serious._

"You _do_ know what a Mudhorn is, right?" 

No response.

Ehe gawked at him, wide eyed, trying to understand what was happening behind that beskar, inside his head. "You know, huge, aggressive, territorial, and not to mention _terrifying_ beasts?"

"What of it?" The Mandalorian asked, tone infuriatingly calm.

"Are you perhaps short of a marble?" Elana barely managed to get her voice under control so she would not outright screech at him, "You want to go steal a _Mudhorn egg_ for them?"

"I want my parts back," he said, voice tense.

"You won't get them back if you're dead!" Elana hissed, her cuffed hands clenched into fists, and she did not know why she was even bothering with the senseless bounty hunter. If he had a death wish, so be it.

"I can handle it." He moved, and was suddenly towering above her, the air around him becoming dangerous.

Purposely ignoring the way he was fuming, she shouldered on, barely resisting the urge to poke him in the chestplate.

"You can handle it?" Elana asked, barely able to keep the mocking tone out of her voice, "Like you handled the Sandcrawler?"

"I lived, didn't I."

She scoffed incredulously, "You fell from a height like _that_ and you want to take on a Mudhorn next? The horn alone is as tall as you are!"

"Cut it out, caretaker," the Mandalorian suddenly snarled, and she flinched away when he stepped into her personal space, _oh, maybe she had gone too far, what was it about that flamethrower again?_ , his anger filled the air, "Don't you have better things to do, like look after the baby?"

Elana gaped at him, fury rising in her chest at his patronising tone. Her trepidation for the Mandalorian vaporized into thin air. "At least the baby has more common sense than _you_ ," she said, lifting her chin at him in a challenging manner.

He gave an angry grunt, and his body twitched towards her, which made her flinch back, the white hot anger in her being replaced by ice cold fear once again.

Bean gave a loud, worried coo, and it broke the tension between them. Quickly turning around to the baby in the pram, Elana used the opportunity to put some distance between them, backing away from the bounty hunter as far as she could, adrenaline pumping through her veins. For a moment she truly expected that he would smack her or silence her in some manner, her heart beating fast in her chest at the thought. 

_If I had not been this confrontational--_

But it was too late, anyways, and the best thing she could do was to _stay the hell out of his path._ Stomping past her, the Mandalorian barked a sharp question at some Jawas, and they pointed him to another part of the ship.

Watching him go, Elana let out a sigh of relief, and it was not long before Kuiil approached her and asked her to sit with him, clearly having witnessed the fight. But the old farmer did not reference it in any way, for which she was glad. Calming her racing heart down, she tried her best to forget about the interaction, figuring that what was done, was done. Sitting down on a crate, Bean in his pram next to them, she sighed deeply, and looked around when silence fell between the two of them.

Fiddling with the sleeves of her shirt, Elana figured that there would be a lot of waiting around with little to occupy her mind. Kuiil seemed to be content, standing up with a few Jawas after a while and conversing with them, his nodding animated as he told some tale.

One Jawa started to approach her, and Elana kept them in her sight. Sitting up even straighter, she folded her hands in her lap, trying to appear non-threatening, and smiled as best as she could.

The little creature was unnerving, the glowing eyes not revealing what they were thinking about. They kept coming closer, and then started to ask something, voice surprisingly hesitant.

Elana looked at them in surprise, eyes wide, and said: "I'm terribly sorry, I don't understand you."

Kuiil appeared next to her, huffing in amusement. The Jawa started to talk to him, and he replied in the universal _Wait_ sign, one forefinger held up high. "She is asking what kind of baby the child is," Kuiil explained, and Elana startled, completely bewildered. 

"To be entirely honest, I don't know either," she told Kuiil, and waited for the Ugnaught to translate.

The Jawa exclaimed, and then asked something different, head tilted almost shyly, hands shuffling together. Elana could not help her slightly nervous giggle at that, the sight adorable if still unnerving.

"She asks if she can play with him a bit," Kuiil said, nodding slightly, "She's very fond of little ones." Getting Bean out of the pram as best as she could and putting him on her lap, Elana gave the Jawa a smile, and the creature inched closer, holding out a pitch black hand towards Bean.

Bean cooed and tilted his head in a questioning manner before he reached out his own hand to the Jawa's. The Jawa giggled in response and it was honestly one of the cutest things Elana had ever witnessed, and she stared at the Jawa, completely delighted.

"I didn't know they would sound so sweet," she whispered to Kuiil, who gave her a smile in response.

"The Jawas are a fiercely protective species," Kuiil explained as the Jawa started to make encouraging sounds at Bean, "an insult to one of them means the fury of the entire tribe. They are closely knitted together and they dearly love each other."

Elana looked down at Bean and the Jawa and watched their interaction. The creature was playing peekaboo with the green child and Bean was laughing so hard he started to hiccup, making grabby hands at the Jawa.

"They raise their children in communities, and everyone cares for them in equal measures, even if they're not the parents."

"That sounds lovely, that they're all sticking together."

Kuiil nodded, patting her on the shoulder slightly, but before he could continue, the blurrg started to roar, something bothering it. As the old Ugnaught walked over to it, Elana had to think about what he just told her. The Jawa tickled Bean’s feet, and the child laughed brightly, his voice echoing loud and clear through the Sandcrawler, attracting the attention of the other inhabitants in there. With absolute delight Elana saw a few small Jawas peeking out behind their taller companions, looking at Bean in curiosity.

With some nudging from their parents, the small creatures in tiny brown robes made their way to Bean, and started squeaking up at him. Elana set Bean down on the floor, and he started to waddle towards the Jawa children, cooing loudly at them. They seemed to have come to some kind of agreement because they started to chase each other, stumbling over their short legs and clumsy limbs, screeching in delight.

The initial worry about them being too rough with her baby was quickly replaced with fondness as Elana watched them play. It was the first time that she had seen Bean with others his age, and the visible change from him timidly holding back at first to pure unrestrained joy warmed her heart. As she looked over her shoulder, opening her mouth to talk to Kuiil, she spotted the Mandalorian standing near the closed ramp of the Sandcrawler, helmet turned towards them. He was evidently watching Bean having fun. His hands were resting on his belt, and he actually looked relaxed for once. But as soon as his helmet tilted towards her and their gazes met, he tensed up and straightened again, striding over to her. The Jawa children saw him arriving, and scattered quickly, hiding behind their parents backs as they backed away from the Mandalorian.

"Caretaker," he said, not even looking at the retreating Jawas around them, "The kid will come with me when we arrive."

She squinted up at him, anger starting to rise in her again at the tone in his voice. "What the hell makes you think that?" Elana asked flatly, silently fuming.

"I won't leave the quarry on the Sandcrawler with the Jawas."

"Oh, but a Mudhorn is better?" Standing up quickly, she squared her shoulders, puffing herself up the best she could.

"You're not coming," he said, "I don't have time nor patience for your complaints."

Elana scoffed. "Well, too bad," she said sarcastically, "I would hate to miss out on the Mudhorn egg. I wonder how the Jawas figured out that it is a delicacy."

"You're staying here. He comes with me," the Mandalorian repeated, sounding annoyed.

"What do you mean, I'm staying while you take him?" Elana asked, all anger draining out of her as she realised his intent, and she stared at the Mandalorian in disbelief. The reality of what he was asking sank in, and she felt her heart drop at the prospect.

"Exactly what I said," the bounty hunter said, voice dry.

"You can't do that!" Elana exclaimed and shook her head violently, eyes wide, panic bubbling up in her. "He's too small!"

"He's quarry," was all the Mandalorian said, before he strapped the rifle onto his back, and pressed the button on the vambrace for the pram. 

"Put him in," he ordered, pointing at Bean on the floor, who was staring up at them, his ears flattening as he picked up on the tension between them.

Elana picked him up to the best of her abilities and cradled him protectively, turning slightly away from him. "No, he is not going _anywhere_ without me." She started to shake in fear as she realized that he was dead serious, and Elana knew that the Mandalorian could see it. 

"You don't get a say in this, caretaker," the bounty hunter said, making an aborted motion to take Bean out from her arms.

Elana flinched back, stumbling over her feet as she backed away. "Don't touch him," she snapped at him, fear in her voice.

He squared his shoulders, tilting his head in annoyance.

"Don't make this difficult," he sighed, and reached out again. Elana blindly batted out, slapping his hands away.

"Touch my child and--"

"And what?" The Mandalorian snapped back, irritated now, "You're gonna fight me?"

Elana stared up at him, brows pulled together, bottom lip trembling. She knew the level of skill the Mandalorian had, had seen him fighting against the other bounty hunters, had seen his excellent marksmanship, and he had killed all of the Nikto guards. She clenched her jaw, knowing that it was futile to even _try_ to fight against him.

"If that’s what it takes," she croaked out, clutching Bean so tightly it must hurt the little one, but he did not make a noise, looking between them in worry, ears hanging low.

"Don't be stupid. Give him to me," the Mandalorian sighed, and moved the pram right in front of her.

"No," she stood her ground, trying desperately to hold back her tears.

Kuiil appeared, frowning at the both of them. "If you want your bounty to cooperate, you need to adopt another technique," the Ugnaught said dryly, shaking his head at the Mandalorian.

"I don't need cooperation, I need to get that _karkin'_ egg to get my parts back," the Mandalorian growled, "She's staying here, and it comes with me."

He turned to her again, and pointed at the pram, snarling, his entire body language threatening. "Put. Him. In."

"No."

Something in him seemed to snap, and before she could blink, he had a blaster drawn on her, clicking ominously. Elana's heart skipped a beat, and she clenched her jaw so tightly it hurt.

"Mandalorian," Kuiil started to say, but the bounty hunter just stepped closer, the blaster pointing right at her chest.

"I've had a _shit_ few days, and I don't need you to add to it," the bounty hunter said, voice terrifyingly calm, "Put the quarry into the pram or I'll shoot you."

"Promise me he will be safe first," Elana said, jutting her jaw out, ignoring the way her heart was hammering against her chest and how faint from fear she felt.

He just tilted his helmet menacingly.

"Promise me," she pressed, trying to suppress her shaking.

"I'll swear on my Creed if I have to, put the damn baby into the pram," the Mandalorian commanded through gritted teeth.

Bean cooed, and patted her arm as if to say _It's okay_. She brought the little one up, and pressed his forehead against hers. "Listen to what he says, okay? Behave for him, and if the Mudhorn appears, play the hiding game," Elana told Bean quietly, staring into those huge dark eyes, her own watering and blurring the view, and Bean, that beautiful, smart baby, gave a nod and a reassuring coo. Then, she sat him down onto his blankets, blinking away furious tears, glaring at the ground, fists clenched tightly.

The Mandalorian put his blaster away, and she felt a shiver running down her back as he pressed the button on his vambrace so the pran floated to him. Inside, she was seething, cursing him in every language she knew and then some more. Outside she was pale, eyes fixed onto the little baby who smiled at her, ears raised high in his pram. "If you come back without him, I'll kill you," Elana said, voice tense.

"I'd like to see you try," was his only response as he turned around, facing the ramp of the Sandcrawler.

"You're a cruel man," she whispered, blinking furiously, feeling hot tears threatening to spill over.

The Mandalorian scoffed, half turning his head back to her. "Does that bother you?" It was the only thing he said before the ramp lowered, the sunlight from Arvala-7 streaming in. The Mandalorian left as soon as the ramp touched the ground, stalking across the rocky terrain of the desert, cutting an impressive figure with his rifle slung across the back and the glinting beskar helmet, the pram floating next to him.

Elana stared behind them until they disappeared behind a ledge, cut off from her view. Something did not sit right within her, and she did not know if it was a bad feeling only because of the Mandalorian, the Mudhorn, or everything together. Kuiil put a hand on her shoulder, and she flinched from the contact.

"Do not think that your rage is unjustified," he told her, a deep frown on his face. "He might be my guest, but that was below what I thought him capable of."

She just stared at him, eyes hard.   
"He threatened me while I was holding Bean," she spelled out, shoulders starting to shake in her fury, "He took my baby away for some fool's errand, to fetch a _Mudhorn egg_ for Jawas!" 

Elana straightened, fists clenched together, and she had to restrain herself from yelling at Kuiil. 

The Ugnaught farmer had done nothing to deserve her ire, but it was hard, it was _so hard_ to not just simply start screeching, to let out every frustration she had built up in the last few days. Elana was tired of being constantly scared, constantly dragged around, not even being sure that the Mandalorian would not hurt Bean. The only thing she knew _for sure_ was that Bean was away from her, and probably in danger.  
There was no way that it would end well.

And she could do nothing against it.  
There was _nothing_ she could do to help him if something happened.  
And something _would_ happen, her gut told her. Every instinct in her was screaming that something was _wrongwrongwrong_ , something _bad_ would happen.

In the end, Elana did not know how much time had passed while she paced, bit her nails, fiddled with her hair, doing whatever kept her slightly busy until something flickered across the bond.

_Fear._

She gave a start, and her head whipped around to where she suddenly knew Bean was. Some deep part in her reached across the bond, and felt him, sitting in his pram, whimpering to himself.  
There was an impression of the Mandalorian being hurt. Badly. Heart pounding, she debated over what to do, panic swelling up in her. She was too far away to help, and if it was the Mudhorn, something that could hurt a _Mandalorian_ , she had no chance against it anyways.

Elana was close to ripping her own hair out when another impression from Bean appeared in front of her eyes.  
Her stomach dropped.

_The Mudhorn._

"Bean," it escaped her, wide eyes staring at where Bean would be, miles away from her.   
Elana started to walk, her feet taking one step in front of another, slowly and stumbling at first, until she was running.

"Bean!" Elana yelled out, and in her mind she could see Bean turning his head, meeting her gaze. He shrunk into himself, very scared of what was happening. She tried to run, get to her baby, but she was too far away, and Elana would never reach him in time, no matter how hard she tried.

" _Bean!_ "

He stared at something she could not see, lifted his hand, and started to _hold_.

It was like running into a wall, the breath knocked out of her. She dropped to her knees without realising it, gasping for air that would not fill her lungs.

Elana could hear her name being called, but her ears were ringing too loudly for her to identify who was currently rattling at her frame.

It felt as if every fibre inside her had started to swell with some power, blood rushing in her veins, an instant _connection_ to, well, _everything_. It surrounded everything around her, everything that was was inside her, an energy field, and _it came directly from Bean_.

The power flooded each one of her senses, and she could feel Bean straining, shaking as he was holding something back, held _an entire Mudhorn_ back, all by himself and his little mind expanding rapidly around his environment, forcing the Mudhorn to hover above the ground, stay in place for long enough so the Mandalorian could stab it.

Elana did not remember passing out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter❤


	6. The Razor Crest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Bean's display of power, Elana waits for him to wake up... and it's not easy with the stubborn Mandalorian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: references to canon-typical violence, distress for child, discussion of loss/grief

"Is he still sleeping?" Elana could hear someone say, mind fuzzy and the world spinning around her as the darkness finally receded from her mind.

"Yes," another one answered, his voice familiar.

"Was he injured?"

"I don't think so." _A tall figure, rifle slung across his back._ "Not physically." _Something reflecting off him, rust red armour and silver pauldron._

"Explain it to me again. I still don't understand what happened." _Kuiil. Kuiil the Ugnaught. The farmer on Arvala-7._

"Neither do I." _Silver beskar helmet, black T-visor, the Mandalorian._

Elana opened her eyes wider, beyond the slits that had just made out the rough shapes of the two men. The setting sun was directly facing them, and she sat up with a groan, squinting at the sky. _What happened?_ Slowly, her senses came back to her, the rushing in her ears became quieter and the scent of machine oil and rock dust filled her nose. Her mouth was as dry as the desert.

"Ah, you're awake," the voice of Kuiil greeted her. He was sitting on top of his blurrg, swaying in the seat with every step the steed took.

"What-?" Elana rasped out, feeling as if her chest was caving in, "Bean?"

"He's here," the Mandalorian said quietly, and her head whipped around to the voice right next to her, his voice instantly making her tense. He was sitting, a pile of his ship parts behind him, and the pram floated next to the sled they were on. She scrambled over to it, not caring as her side brushed his knees, reached into the pod and took her baby out. Bean was a small, lifeless bundle in her arms, the bond between them empty, echoing when she tried to reach him, a stark contrast to the vivid and warm tendrils that had connected them before that swell of _force_ had overwhelmed her.

"What happened to him?" Elana asked the Mandalorian, voice shaking as her fingers traced over Bean's little face. He was still breathing, thank the Stars, snoring peacefully, but she could feel _nothing_ from him. Not the slightest emotion, no indication that they were even bonded at all. It was not as if the bond had snapped, more that it just flickered out of existence.

Elana snapped her face up to the beskar helmet, " _What happened to him?_ " She did not recognize her own voice, guttural and venomous as she threw the accusation into his face, body trembling under the fury that rushed through her.

"Nothing," he said, voice rough.

"I don't believe you," she spat, "I told you that he should have stayed! What were you thinking, taking him to get a Mudhorn egg? He could have _died!_ "

"I protected him," the Mandalorian defended himself, aggression pouring off him in waves, "I did my best."

" _Your_ best is not enough if _my_ baby had to stop a charging Mudhorn for you!" Elana shrieked, and pushed his pauldron roughly, uncaring about the repercussions, white hot anger overtaking every rational thought.

The Mandalorian grunted as if in pain, and Elana stopped, feeling cold. Suddenly she saw how banged up he looked, completely covered in mud splatters, his armour dented and broken into pieces, his chest plate looking as if it needed a complete replacement. His dirty T-visor was staring her down accusingly. Before Elana's eye, the memory of what Bean saw flickered to life, how the Mudhorn had _rammed_ the Mandalorian, sent him flying through the air. Her mind raced at hyperspeed as she stared at him.

A part in Elana wanted to apologise, for her shove, which probably caused some amount of pain or added to existing injuries, and her words because it was obvious that he had at least _tried_ to keep Bean safe. The pram was free from mud, free from damage, and if it were not for the missing bond, she would have thought that Bean was simply catching up on his midday nap. The difference between them could not have been bigger, and it only highlighted the effort the Mandalorian had taken to make sure Bean was safe. But still, the baby had used whatever that power in him _was_ to help slay the Mudhorn. Elana had always known that Bean was _special_. Not only the bond between them, but also the way he would always land lightly, always know whom to trust, could always react a second faster than expected. She had always been able to do some of the things he was able to do as well, to an extent, but she was _nowhere_ near as strong as her little baby was.

"Explain two things to me," the Mandalorian said, voice leaving no room for arguments, "One, how was _he_ ," he pointed to the pram, "able to _stop that charging Mudhorn for me?_ " The bounty hunter threw her words back at her, mud-speckled visor trained directly on her. Elana opened her mouth to answer, but he cut her off, "And two, how do _you_ know about it?"

They stared at each other, and for one moment, she did not know what to say. The truth? Some version of it? Straight up lying? Her eyes flickered between Bean, the ground, the Mandalorian, the rocks around them, the shiny parts of the ship, while she opened and closed her mouth several times, unsure what to say. Taking a deep breath when the Mandalorian sighed impatiently, she started to talk in a hesitant manner.

"I don't know why he can do that," she confessed, blinking fast as she furrowed her brows, deep in thought as she tried to find a way to explain the uniqueness of Bean, "I don't know if he was born with it, if it is something that is specific to his species, or he learned it somehow." The blurrg gave a low growl in response to something on the road, and she used this small break to sort out her thoughts. "Sometimes he can lift things, and sometimes he can't, even if he tries. And I think _this_ is why your client wants Bean," she whispered, "they want him for what he can do." It was quiet between them, the words hanging in the air.

"Answer my second question," the Mandalorian ordered, tilting his helmet in a threatening manner. She felt her chest hollow with fear, but raised her chin with defiance despite her trembling bottom lip, and glared at him. "We are connected in our minds," was what she settled on, "What he feels, I feel as well."

"That's impossible," the bounty hunter scoffed, turning his head towards Kuiil as if to gather a second opinion. Kuiil harrumphed, face set into a frown when he looked over his shoulder.

"I have heard of stories like these," the Ugnaught said haltingly. "Stories in which great warriors have bonded within their minds to become more efficient in battle." Kuiil caught her gaze, and nodded gravely. "Even if I have not heard of a child and its caretaker being bound in this manner, I would not dismiss her claims. It could very well be."

The Mandalorian's helmet was turned towards them, and she tightened her hold on Bean. His visor was trained on them, and Elana looked away, clenching her jaw, thumb tracing over the baby's cheek. The blurrg moved slowly and steadily, and they made rest after it had long become dark. Not a word was said as the Ugnaught and her shared a meal while the Mandalorian sat behind the large pile of parts for the Razor Crest, eating on his own. When they went to sleep that night, Elana could not get the strange feeling out of her chest, the memory of what Bean had done echoing in her mind, the way she had felt it through her body.

The next day passed, and other than a few words between Kuiil and the Mandalorian, nothing was said. Elana spent the entire time either holding Bean, watching the landscape lost in her thoughts, or glaring at the Mandalorian. It was one of the most uncomfortable days she had ever had the displeasure to witness, and she was still absolutely fuming. Elana stewed in silence, laying out argument after argument with which she could verbally destroy the bounty hunter. More and more complex wording and phrasing started to pop up in her mind, and with a distinct sense of vindication she slowly felt like she could rip him a new one successfully.

Not that she actually voiced them out loud.

Elana still wanted to _live_ , thank you very much.

The threat of him becoming violent again made her bite her tongue, swallow the accusations down, _because Bean would not be safe if she got gunned down._ Elana had to stay alive for Bean, she had to make sure that he had someone that cared about him, someone who gives him the love he deserved. She had not let go of Bean the entire time they traveled, unwilling to put him into his pram even as he got heavy, just wanting to feel him against her, breathing steadily, even if the bond between them was nothing but an empty echo.

When they set out on the next day, Kuiil tried to strike up conversation, clearly as done with the uncomfortable silence as she was. It continued the entire day long, small talk occasionally breaking up the tension in the air that could be cut with a knife, and Elana was honestly glad when they arrived at the mess the Jawas had left behind. She stared at the Mandalorian's gutted ship as they slowly neared, the blurrg swaying steadily. As soon as they stopped in front of it, the Mandalorian and Kuiil jumped off the sled and started to inspect the state that the ship was in.

"There is no way we're gonna get this to work without a full maintenance facility," the Mandalorian stated, staring up at his ship, shoulders slumped.

Elana refused to feel bad about the defeated tone in his voice, knowing that as soon as the ship was repaired, they would head off to Nevarro. Kuiil lifted a tool bag out of the sled, and started to heave it towards the ship.

"This is gonna take days to fix," the Mandalorian sighed, looking around.

"If you care to help, it might go faster," Kuiil said, and set the bag down, handing a part to the Mandalorian, "There is much work to do." The Mandalorian just sighed again, and took the offered part. Then, he walked over to the Razor Crest, and started to fiddle with something on the landing gear. Kuiil nodded approvingly, before looking at her.

"What about Elana?" Kuiil asked loudly, and the Mandalorian looked over his shoulder.

"She looks after the quarry," was his response, "He should be waking up soon."

Elana stared hard at him, both for his assumption that she could not help, that she was only good for keeping an eye on Bean, and for the condescending tone he had used. Blowing out air in annoyance, she folded her legs, sat up straight, and simply watched them start work on the ship. Bean made a soft noise, and Elana looked at him, but the hope rising in her chest was quickly crushed when there was still not a single nudge over the bond. She sighed heavily, heart feeling like it was breaking into two. _This just keeps getting worse._

After an hour of them working, Kuiil looked up at the sky and announced: "It is late, we will need to get sleep if we are to continue this."

The Mandalorian made a noise in protest. "We have good momentum right now," he said, stalking around the corner where he had been repairing a part of the ramp.

"We will continue tomorrow," Kuiil said decidedly, and set down his tools, walking over to the sledge, "I will take the blurrg and head to my farm. The sledge can stay here. I have spoken."

Elana watched as the Ugnaught pressed a few buttons, and the sledge disengaged with a hiss. "I shall return. Good night."

"Good night," the Mandalorian sighed.

Elana simply nodded at him, and Kuiil gave a small smile that was probably meant to be encouraging. Patting the side of the blurrg with his foot several times, the creature turned with a loud huff, and started to waddle off in the direction of Kuiil's farm.

"Has he woken up?" The Mandalorian asked when the Ugnaught was some distance away. Elana tensed, a breath escaping her as fear coursed through her veins, and she forced herself to look at the bounty hunter, unwilling to show weakness.

"No," she answered, barely stopping herself from glaring at him, "I don't know when he will."

He said nothing, but his shoulders dropped almost imperceptibly. The only reason Elana noticed it was because she was looking at them to avoid looking into his face.

"Have you eaten?" Elana asked, and cursed herself in the same moment, the question slipping out almost without her noticing. He was quiet, just looking at her.

"No," he said after a short while. Elana frowned, and tugged her rucksack close.

"Here," she said, pulling two ration bars out, and tossing them to him, "I don't think you've eaten since before yesterday."

The Mandalorian tilted his helmet at her. "I didn't think you noticed," he said, and his voice held a tone she could not place. Was it mocking? Defensive? Or something different?

She resisted the urge to scoff at him, and explained instead: "You don't eat regularly. When you're in company, you don't eat, that's not healthy." He said nothing, and Elana felt herself become indignant, some part in her unable to comprehend why a grown man would just forgo food, especially a bounty hunter like him. "Is it normal that you simply don't eat? What species are you, can you store food over long periods?"

He did not answer, but his fingers curled around the ration packets.

"And all that Jawa business, I don't think you ate then either? I'm sorry if I'm overstepping but that doesn't seem healthy."

"I had some stims before I went to get the egg," he muttered.

Elana raised an eyebrow, staring at him. "You mean to tell me that you went to fight a Mudhorn with no food, no water, only some stims?"

"I had water," he corrected.

"That does not improve your situation," Elana said, crossing her arms, "Do you have a death wish or are you just acting like it?"

He tilted his helmet at her, and the amount of annoyance he could convey without saying a single word was astonishing.

"You know, running on stims is not--"

"Are you the baby's caretaker or mine?" The Mandalorian asked dryly.

Elana glared at him. "Seems like I have to, if you're stupid enough to fight a Mudhorn on stims."

"Cut the sass," The Mandalorian growled, stepping closer, towering above her.

"Make me," she snarled without thinking, scooting back until her back hit the spare parts on the sledge, curling a protective arm around the sleeping Bean.

He seemed to realise that he was too close, and backed off without a word, hand clenched around the ration bars. Elana got out the water bottle, and set it on the edge of the sledge by reaching forwards, and leaned back as soon as the metal bottle was standing safely. The Mandalorian gave her a nod, and she glared at him in response, feeling the fear of him starting to take over again.

"Thank you," he said, before turning around, disappearing behind the Razor Crest.

Elana scrunched her nose at him, took out a ration for herself and bit into it viciously while cursing the Mandalorian in her mind. Cursing him for being an asshole. Cursing him for being their captor. Cursing him because she could do nothing but curse and hope for some kind of escape. Cursing him because _Bean would not wake up_.

When he finally came back, he handed her a noticeably lighter water bottle, but she did not comment. Without looking at the Mandalorian, she took out a clean shirt of hers, carefully poured water on it, and opened Bean's mouth. She made him suck on the fabric so he could at least get some moisture without the risk of choking on the water. Repeating the process a few times, the little one instinctively drinking, she sighed in relief when Bean smiled in his sleep, and cuddled closer to her, ignoring the Mandalorian who watched her. _He is all right_ , she told herself, and put a kiss onto the baby's forehead.

"Can you move the pram?" Elana requested after gathering the courage to open her mouth, and the Mandalorian gave a start.

"Of course," he rasped out, and manoeuvred the pod right next to her. She put Bean into it carefully, and tucked the blankets into his side, keeping him warm. Then, closing the pram with a press of the button, she sighed. Taking the water bottle, Elana drank the rest of the water herself, grimacing at how there was not enough left for how dry her throat felt.

Turning the moisture bead on, she slumped into herself, feeling the days catching up on her. She was unbelievably tired. "Were the Jawas happy? When you gave them the egg?" Elana asked, thoughts far away, eyes on the stars above them.

The Mandalorian gave something that could have been an amused huff. "Yeah," he said, "Yelled a lot again."

" _Suga_ ," Elana quoted quietly, shaking her head, somehow missing the little robed creatures. They have been strange, but kind in the end, careful with their treatment of them.

" _Suga_ ," the Mandalorian agreed, derision in his voice, "If I never have to deal with them again it would be too soon." Elana suppressed a snort and blamed it on how tired she was instead of the sarcastic note in his voice. "Good night," she told him after a while in silence, and turned around, back facing him. He said nothing for a long time, but she heard him perfectly when he said "Night" back, voice crackling through the vocoder.

When Elana awoke the next day, the Ugnaught was just arriving, jumping down from his blurrg mount, the creature giving a low purr. 

"Good morning," Kuiil said, patting the bag he had on his side, "I brought breakfast."

Elana sat up, rubbing her hands over her face, and yawned. "Thank you," she told Kuiil, smiling through another yawn. The Mandalorian was already up and fiddling with his broken chestplate. Elana stared at the wiring that was visible, and marvelled at how intricately it was built into the armour. It was exquisite craftsmanship even without the technical gadgets surrounding it, and she suddenly understood how he was able to regulate his temperature on a desert planet without difficulties.

She was envious of it and was not even able to deny it. Elana brought herself into an upright position, walking on her knees to the pram, and checking on Bean. Her heart sank. He was still sleeping, nothing changed. Bean must not even have moved much during the night. Kuiil set down his bag and pulled out three mugs and plates, as well as a big thermos, packets of instant bread and a few cacti fruits.

"We can eat here while you can eat on the ship," Kuiil told the Mandalorian, who nodded at him.

"Thanks. It's very kind of you," he said, taking the portion from him and waiting for Kuiil to unscrew the thermos, who then poured a generous amount of caf into the mug, and left for the ship. The Ugnaught settled down on the sledge as well, and poured the rest of the caf into their respective mugs.

Starting to nibble at one of the cacti fruits, Elana propped a knee up, resting her arm on it. "I'm hoping we're not eating all of your food," she said to Kuiil, "I would hate to be a burden to you."

"You are my guests, and I am therefore in your service," Kuiil responded, "I can assure you, you are not a burden."

"Why are you helping the Mandalorian?" Elana asked after hesitating for a while,

The Ugnaught sighed. "There is no peace on Arvala-7. There are always bounty hunters arriving, without fail, all seeking the same bounty."

Elana frowned, looking at him in a mixture of sympathy and confusion.

"This little child has caught the eye of some high-up Imperial, if I had to guess," Elana felt her blood run cold at the confirmation of her fears, "And they will not stop until they get what they want."

_Imperials._

It was not the first time that her mind had wandered since they had left the encampment. She had been thinking about every one who could want them, who could have enough money to keep the bounty hunters coming. It could have been some crazy collector, it could have been Bean's parents, it could have also been fanatic remnants of the Empire who wanted the child for his powers. Kuiil just confirmed what she had feared the most, and Elana was struggling to comprehend it.

"I want my valley to know peace," Kuiil said, looking imploringly at her, brows furrowed, "And peace will only come when the bounty hunters stop."

Elana looked at Bean, who was snoring peacefully. "And you are willing to have peace in exchange of an innocent child?" Elana asked, voice barely above a whisper.

"I did not say that," he sighed, "But it is not in my hands anyways. The Mandalorian has claimed him as his bounty, and it is in his hands now."

"You could help us," she whispered, looking him straight in his eyes, desperate, "you could help us escape."

Kuiil shook his head. "Even if I wanted to, and I do, I cannot. My farm would be the first place the Mandalorian would look for you, and the end result would be the same."

"So you're just letting him take us away?" Elana hissed, feeling anger rise in her, "You would sacrifice Bean for the sake of your valley?"

He looked at her evenly, an unspoken grief lingering behind his eyes that made her pause. "Where are you from, Elana?" Kuill suddenly asked.

"Alderaan," she answered, "What does that have to do with anything?"

The Ugnaught hummed. "If a choice had to be made, between Alderaan or your princess, which one would you have chosen?"

Elana reared back, mouth dropping open. "This is nothing close to it," she pressed out between gritted teeth, eyes shooting daggers at him.

"Is it not? A place to keep safe and a person to sacrifice. Would you have sacrificed your princess if it meant that Alderaan would have survived?"

"That is a vile thing to ask, Kuiil." Eyes blinking fast, she refused to let the tears collect, refused to let him see how he had struck a nerve.

"I'm just hoping that you can understand my point. Both options are wretched, but if it was between a valley I protect and a child I do not know--"

She jumped up, furious, "Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Elana yelled, burning up in rage, "You don't get to make that decision!" Kuiil looked at her, wise eyes that saw straight into her soul stripping every layer she had away.

"Listen here, Ugnaught," she snarled, "I will do _anything_ to protect Bean, I don't care if this entire planet burns! He deserves to grow up, not being experimented on by _Imperials_ for the rest of his life!"

"If you would condemn an entire planet to burn, you would give up many that are just like him," Kuiil pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

Chest heaving, she stared at him, jaw clenched together. "Thank you for the breakfast," she said as calmly as she could, "I'll leave now." Scooping Bean up in her arms, she started to stalk away.

"Where do you think you are going?" The Mandalorian asked, standing on the ramp of his ship.

"I'm going to get some air," Elana snapped, "Don't worry, you'll be able to find us."

"You're staying here," he commanded, annoyance in his voice

"I don't care," she spat, glaring at him. With those words, she walked further to stew in silence, knowing fully that the reaction she had was childish. But she thought they could cut her some slack, and if they would not?

_She would make them._

Clutching Bean close to her, she dropped down on a comfortable rock, with some overhead shelter should she choose to stay away for a longer time, and far away so she would not have to put up with them.

Leaning against the rocky wall, knees bent slightly and Bean snoring on her lap, she did her best to breathe deeply, trying to calm down. "Bean, honey, now would be a good time to wake up, don't you think?" Elana whispered to him, fighting back her tears, "It would be perfect if you would wake up this moment." Bean just let out a rattling snore, making her laugh slightly, burying her face into his belly as her shoulders shook.

"I guess that's fine as well," she huffed, smile watery, "but could you wake up? Please? I worry about you." Letting her fingers trace over his face carefully, over his brows, the wrinkles on his head, the closed eyelids, his cheeks, she sighed. "Why is the bond broken, sweetpea?" Elana asked as if he would answer, staring hard at his little features, "Why can't I feel you now?" There was no response, no answer, not through him stirring or a flicker across the bond.

Elana pulled him close, and closed her eyes, resting her cheek on the top of his head, feeling his weight and warmth on her body, and she tried to let herself be soothed by it. "I miss you, Bean," she whispered, "Please wake up soon. I love you, okay?"

After about half an hour later, the Mandalorian appeared, the water bottle in his hand. "Here," he said, and threw it on the sand next to her feet, along with the shirt she had used yesterday, but tossed that in her lap.

She stared up at him, frowning. "Thanks?" Elana asked, squinting at him, the sun at his back and in her eyes.

"You can stay in the shade if you want to," he offered, gesturing to her.

"Thank you," she said, secretly grateful that he did not expect or want her to help with the repairs in the midday sun. Not that she was the most experienced at it anyways.

"Does the baby need anything else?"

Elana shook her head, "He only needs to wake up."

The Mandalorian was quiet for a moment. "Do you know when he will wake up?"

It did not slip by her how he had deliberately used the word _when_ instead of _if_ , for which Elana was thankful. It was a consideration she did not think he would give her.

"I don't know," she confessed, looking away, and then to Bean, "I hope soon."

After a nod at her, the Mandalorian walked back to the Razor Crest, where Kuiil was currently soldering something. Scowling at the sight of the Ugnaught, she watched the Mandalorian go, the beskar pauldron and his helmet glinting in the sunlight. Sighing to herself, she drank some water, and gave Bean a bit as well. Were her eyes deceiving her or did Bean drink more water today? Was he dehydrated or was he starting to wake up? But despite her hopes, he did not open his beautiful dark eyes that day.

Or the day after.

On the fifth day after the Mudhorn incident, Elana was starting to go crazy. She had managed not to burst into tears in front of Kuiil and the Mandalorian, but they could probably still tell when she had cried, or tried to hide it. She was grateful for them not mentioning a word when she started to help with the rebuilding of the Mandalorian's ship, despite being below average at it. If Bean had been awake, she probably would not have helped at all, trying to prolong the time between them leaving Arvala-7 and getting to the suspected Imperial client. But doing nothing was driving her mad. Completely, utterly _mad_ with worry over the small baby, and the only times when that worry was lifted from her shoulders was when she was neck deep into wiring and parts and tools.

They did not comment, and she gritted her teeth, checking on Bean every hour, getting more jittery the longer he stayed asleep.

When she woke with puffy red eyes, the only thing the Mandalorian would do was hand her the water bottle along with a ration pack, T-visor turned away from her in a resemblance of privacy. Kuiil had let them use his sonic washing machine as well, so the days were actually the most bearable since the encampment, with clean clothes, regular food and water breaks, and enough time to sleep.

But they were still hell for Elana.

When finally, after almost _seven days_ of silence over the bond, something flickered across it, Elana dropped the part she was holding without preamble, and rushed to the pram, kneeling in front of it.

Bean was starting to stir.

_Bean was starting to stir!_

He started to frown, flailing his limbs around, fingers flexing, nose twitching. Elana did not think, just got him out of the pram, and sat down on her heels. She put him on her lap, and waited with bated breath. The green child started to whine lowly, scrunching his eyes shut even more before slowly blinking up at her. She laughed, smile watery and eyes misty. "Bean!" Elana gasped, pulling him close to her, squishing him in her arms, "You're awake!"

"Mwa," he told her, voice a bit raspy, and raised his little claws to her face. Crying in joy, she pressed their foreheads against each other, relishing in the way the bond suddenly opened wide. It was as if a tidal wave of power rushed over her, the beautiful, familiar and dearly missed sensation of their minds connecting with each other. Knowing exactly what he felt right now, his own relief mingled with hers.

"Oh, Bean," she told him, voice thick, "oh, sweetpea, honey, _the best baby in the whole galaxy_ \--" Elana showered him with kisses while he giggled under the onslaught, and she felt as if the entire weight of the world was dropped off her shoulders at once. Repeating his name as if it were a prayer, she pressed their foreheads together again, his little hands patting at where her face was wet from her tears.

"Mwa," he cooed, giggling brightly when she playfully scrunched her nose at him, ears pointing high. He turned his head towards something behind her, and made a loud happy noise, his face lighting up with a bright smile. Elana followed his gaze and saw the Mandalorian standing there, watching them.

"He's awake!" Elana beamed at the bounty hunter, too relieved to care about her dislike and fear of the man.

He tilted his helmet slightly. "I can see that," he said, and he sounded like he was smiling. Bean cooed loudly, clearly excited to see the Mandalorian, wriggled in her hold and tried to get to him. Elana released the baby from her grip, and watched as the bundle of brown robes made his way to the Mandalorian, trilling at him in exhilaration. It was hilarious to see the big bounty hunter stumbling back from the little bean on the ground, trying to avoid the overeager baby.

Searching the bond, Elana realised why Bean was so excited. "He is happy to see you. He was not sure if he had saved you in time," she spoke, looking at the Mandalorian, "He thought the Mudhorn got you."

Deftly avoiding Bean trying to grab his boot, the Mandalorian stared at her. "He's happy to see me?" He sounded dumbfounded, T-visor whipping down to where Bean had succeeded in catching his shoe, and cooed up at him.

"Obviously," Elana said, unable to make her voice dry in the light of Bean's happiness. The Mandalorian sighed deeply, shoulders slumping as the baby tightened his hold on his leg even more, completely enamoured with the man.

Kuiil appeared, pulling his goggles off and setting them on top of his head. "I'm glad the child awoke," he said, smiling at the overexcited Bean.

Bean's tummy made a loud grumble at that moment, and he turned his head, frowning up at her, patting the offending area while whining. Elana could not help her laugh at his face. The Mandalorian sighed again, and she knelt next to him, carefully prying Bean away. She placed him on her hip, and Elana beamed at being able to do the familiar motion again. "We'll get you something to eat, sweetpea, don't you worry," she told him, and made her way past the Mandalorian and the Ugnaught, towards the makeshift table with ration bars and jerky on it.

As soon as she had a packet in her hand, Bean reached out, took it, and bit into it with the packaging still on. Whining again, looking up at her with big watery eyes and a pout on his lips, he patted his tummy once more. She quickly removed the packaging and watched as he tucked in, eating the whole bar in two bites.

"Do you want more?" Elana asked, and when he reached out to the pile again, she set him on the ground carefully before getting another bar, opening it for him. In the end it took three ration bars and a jerky strip before the baby gave a satisfied burp, and after some gulps of water, he waddled to her, buried his face in her stomach and cooed.

"I missed you too, Bean," Elana murmured, rubbing the small one's back soothingly, "Don't scare me like that again, all right?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for sticking with this story! I love you all very much🥺🥺❤


	7. The Departure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elana runs out of time to protect Bean as they depart Arvala-7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: References to canon-typical violence, hints of unresolved trauma, discussion of grief, worry about the safety/future of own children, anxiety/mental breakdown

After a short period where Elana and Bean delved into their bond, simply feeling the other's presence after nothing but silence for so long, Bean started to become fussy. He wanted to move around, to make up for the days of lying still in the pram, and started to become a little bright bundle of energy that Elana sat down on the ground. She watched him like a hawk as he took off, stumbling and heading towards some rocks, picking them up, throwing them, running some. Repeat. 

Squeaking as some mudjumpers started to appear, he began to chase after them, giggling happily. He played for several hours, always under the watchful gaze of his caretaker, catching up on movement he had missed the last few days, brimming with energy.

Elana leant against a rock and simply rested, feeling completely at peace for the first time since the Mandalorian appeared in their lives.

Speak of the devil.

"He's all right?" the Mandalorian suddenly asked and she flinched, not having seen him coming. Automatically tensing up, her heart started to race, fear paralysing her limbs, and dug her nails into her palm, the sting sharp. She turned her head, and saw that his gaze was fixed on the child, his shoulders relaxed.

"Seems that way," she chose to reply carefully, barely hiding the tremble in her voice, "He worked up quite an appetite."

"Won't he choke on the mudjumper?"

"He has done it often enough. Also, I fed him a few hours ago, he is probably only playing with them."

The Mandalorian scoffed, shaking his head slightly. There was a silence between them, and in that moment, between the sun setting, casting long shadows that contrasted with the beautiful sky and the rugged mountain line, it was almost comfortable. It was a pity, Elana thought. The Mandalorian seemed like a decent person half the time. 

_Decent enough for a bounty hunter, at least._

"We're going to Nevarro, right?" Elana asked, almost absentmindedly. He turned his helmet towards her, and gave a sharp nod without saying anything. "You'll get your reward, and they'll get Bean," she continued, not really looking at anything, "Do you know what will happen to me?"

It was a genuine question. Would she go with Bean? Would they even let her stay? Would she be stranded on Nevarro? Would the Mandalorian keep her? Elana felt a shiver run down her back at the last thought, and she barely resisted the urge to scoot away from him.

"I don't know," he said haltingly, "You're not the bounty."

She did not know how to respond to that, so she settled on watching Bean, exhaling slowly. He did the same, and again Elana got the feeling that he could actually be rather nice to be around if he was not a bounty hunter. But what did it matter? Her thoughts were running at hyper speed levels, and every possible scenario played out in her head. He could help them escape. That was unlikely though, since he had gone through all that trouble to secure them. The Mandalorian cleared his throat after a while, and straightened, taking a step away from her.

"The _Crest_ will be finished soon," he said, "We will depart tomorrow."

"All right," she said, fighting to keep the emotion out of her voice. The sun was disappearing behind the rough mountain ranges, and dusk started to settle in.

"I'm glad Bean woke up," he then added in a low voice as he started to walk away, "I'm sorry about the Mudhorn."

Elana stared after him as he made his way to Kuiil, something like hope starting to bloom in her chest.

 _Bean._

He used Bean's name. 

Not quarry, not _it_ , not _the baby_.

_Bean._

Maybe, just maybe... the Mandalorian was starting to become attached to them.

Elana picked Bean up, who did a great job at protesting, wanting to chase some more mudjumpers, and tilted him onto her chest. "We'll go to them, all right?" Elana murmured to him, bopping Bean once, a giggle escaping him at the movement, "It's gonna be really dark soon."

The sun was setting on Arvala-7, the scorching heat dissipating, and the unexpectedly cold breeze made goosebumps appear on her skin. Suppressing a shiver and the urge to rub at her arms, Elana straightened her posture even more, pushing her shoulders back as she sat down near Kuiil's heater, where a pot of stew was currently being warmed up on a portable stove.

The Ugnaught gave her and Bean a smile, as he slowly stirred, reaching for a small shaker and adding a few dried herbs to it. Looking up into the night sky, she soaked in the view, knowing that it was probably the last night she would be on Arvala-7. The galaxy above them was becoming more and more visible, so clear that it seemed as if the atmosphere around the desert planet did not even exist. With no clouds on the horizon and no light pollution from the inhabitants there was nothing that inhibited the view of the star-speckled sky.

It was weird, Elana thought. To think that she would leave the planet she had been trapped on for so many months. But each time she had thought it would be different. She always thought that she could maybe save enough of the meagre wage the Niktos gave her. That she would be able to convince someone to help her and Bean get off the planet. Or an elaborate escape plan, something that included taming a wild blurrg and heading to the first settlement she found, like those old Empire-approved holomovies she and her friends used to go to cinemas to watch, celebrating another week of school finished.

But it was nothing like that. Her departure from Arvala-7 would be unceremonious and undignified, and the fact that she could not know how long Bean would still be with her left a bitter taste in her mouth. Elana held the baby a bit closer at that thought, a shiver running down her back.

Should she be counting the days she still had with him? 

Should she be hugging him at every chance, feeling the comforting weight of the baby in her arms, relishing in the way he snuggled up to her, the tickling fuzz on his head, his soft ears? Bean's sweet noises when he was happy, the way his eyes would light up, a smile on his chubby face? Elana felt tears starting to rise as she thought about how she might very soon not be able to hear Bean wheezing softly and snoring at night, lying peacefully on his back, tiny hand wrapped around the soft blanket he adored. Blinking fast, and tilting her head upwards, she pretended to be watching the stars as Kuiil hummed and stirred the stew.

If she had to be honest, she was not in the mood for any company that night. She had not been ever since the Mandalorian appeared in their lives but in that moment, especially that night, Elana wanted nothing more than to be able to lock herself into a closed room, Bean safe in his pram and just give herself time to grieve for what was about to come. 

Even if she was starting to feel the freezing cold of the night, she did not want to move closer to the heater, did not want to feel obligated to say anything in company. Bean made a small distressed noise, and looked up at her. His dark eyes were wide and he started to point at the heater.

The mental impression of warmth pressed against her, and a fuzzy picture of him and her near the device was clumsily put into her mind. Elana frowned and told him no quietly. 

_I don't want to talk to them_ , she sent as an explanation, _I'm unhappy with them, I don't want to be here._

Bean's ears drooped, and he frowned right back. An image slammed into her mind, of her from his point of view, hunched into herself, shivering. Elana stared at him, eyes wide. _He wants me to be warm_ , she realised, and could not help the touched smile that flitted across her face.

"All right", she murmured, an arm snaking under the little bottom of the child, holding him securely, and scooted closer. 

Settling down near the others, Elana ignored how the helmet of the Mandalorian turned towards her, the beskar reflecting the light. Kuiil was gazing at her kindly, and smiled. "Do you want something to eat?" Kuiil asked.

She accepted quietly with a nod, and smiled back. A small bowl with the stew was given to her, a spoon already sticking in it, and Elana blew on it carefully before tasting it.

It was fine enough, so she blew some more and fed it to Bean. He chomped down on the spoon with a loud _click_ of his teeth, making her chuckle at that. Sharing the meal between them, it did not take long until the stew was finished.

The Mandalorian was fiddling with his vambrace, seemingly fixing some of the wiring in the low light, probably waiting for them to be done so he could eat himself. Maybe her nagging had gone through his thick skull. Elana still does not know why she cared so much, but out here? Other than Kuill? He was their enemy and safest ally at the same time, and the logistics made her head hurt the longer she thought about it. Elana wondered why he did not just go into the almost finished ship, but figured that it was purely his business and it was not as if it was important to her.

Bean babbled happily to himself, his little claws scratching at her arms in a gentle manner, and she pressed a kiss onto the top of his head, soaking up the warmth the little child has to offer, feeling pure love across the bond with a soft sigh. The cold was starting to become uncomfortable at this point, but she felt too self-conscious to try to scoot even closer to the device.

Bean started to squeak at her, almost indignantly, before he stilled. Turning his head towards her, eyes wide, he gave an almost comical shiver. Elana squinted down at him, the corner of her mouth curving up.

He shivered again, holding eye contact, eyes big and watery. "Are you for real?" Elana asked, highly suspicious, a smile creeping on her face.

Bean basically started to vibrate, ears flopping up and down while shivering as dramatically as possible. She could not help the quiet laughter that escaped her. "All right, sweetpea," she told him, giggling while stroking his cheek affectionately, "You're a good actor, I know."

His eyes started to shine, and a low " _aaah_ " escaped him, clearly happy that his plan is working. Elana scooted closer to the fire, still smiling, not missing how the two others have their heads turned towards her, clearly having been watching them both.

"The child is cunning for his young age," the Ugnaught said, voice level, kind eyes twinkling at her.

"I think he is cold," she replied, her smile almost playful, and nudged the little one, who gave a coo.

The Ugnaught nodded, and looked at the green child. "You are a smart one," he told Bean, "Able to recognize what others need." Bean cooed and tilted his head at Kuiil, ears held up high, before snuggling into Elana's chest again.

 _You're the sweetest, best behaving, most wonderful baby ever_ , Elana thought at Bean, scratching his back in a circular motion, and it was not long before the combination of having a full belly and being held by her lulled him to sleep. Even though there were not many words exchanged, the atmosphere was almost comfortable, no tension in the air.

"I will return to my home now," Kuiil said after a while, and stood up with a grunt, "I have spoken." Raising a hand in a wave, he gathered what he needed, and mounted the blurrg that had been tied to a rock formation. As he patted the side of the blurrg several times, he called out: "I bid you all goodnight."

The Mandalorian nodded, and she did the same as well. "Do you want to eat the rest?" Elana asked after a while, pointing at the leftover stew. 

"Later.”

Elana raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'll go into the _Crest_ ," he said, almost defensively.

"Do it before the stew turns cold," Elana told him, adjusting Bean on her lap, his limbs akimbo while he cooed in his sleep.

The Mandalorian just sighed, before helping himself to the food. With a full bowl in his hand, he turned, gave her a nod which she chose to interpret as thankfulness, and started to walk towards the _Razor Crest_.

Gathering one of the blankets and the sleeping roll that Kuiil had left for them, Elana made herself comfortable on the ground, the motion practised after a few nights out there. There was no one out here other than blurrgs and lizards, and they had stayed away the last few nights, so she figured that it would not change. Putting Bean into his pram, maneuvering her roll close to him, she lied down and stared at the lamp in the middle of the camping site.

Elana did not know how much time passed before the Mandalorian's steps sounded again, but she closed her eyes and pretended that she was asleep. She heard him getting closer to them, and he stopped at Bean's pram. After a while, he pressed the button, and the pod slid shut.

Not knowing what to think of it, it took a while until Elana could fall asleep.

The next morning, they readied everything for departure. 

With an approving nod, Kuiil declared the _Razor Crest_ safe for deep space and hyperspeed. The Mandalorian gave a relieved sigh at those words, and it was only a reminder of how time was running out, how it would not be long until he would hand them over to his client.

The bounty hunter cuffed Elana to the pram for the first time in days when he and Kuiil went into the ship for a final inspection before takeoff. Fuming on the ramp of the _Razor Crest_ , worry and fear churning in her stomach, she stared hard at the horizon, trying to take in the way Arvala-7 looked like. It was unlikely that she would ever return again, and even if she did not always enjoy life here, she would not have met Bean without landing on this planet. Bean was the most important thing for Elana right now, and she would do everything for him, anything, trying to keep him safe. 

He was still snoring, the golden light of the sunrise illuminating his face gently, and she hoped that he would not wake up until they are in space, wanting to avoid him being fussy during takeoff, since it could irritate the Mandalorian. Elana would not take any chances.

"I can't thank you enough," she heard him say to Kuiil, "Please allow me to give you a portion of the reward."

Crinkling her nose at those words, she scoffed lightly, nails digging into her palms.

"I cannot accept," Kuiil said, and it did not surprise her. He had helped them for free the entire time, wanting nothing more than to bring peace to his valley. His next words only worsened the sour taste in her mouth. "You are my guest, and I am therefore in your service."

The Mandalorian was quiet for a while, before speaking up again. "I could use a crew member of your ability. And I can pay handsomely," he offered.

"I am honoured. But I have worked a lifetime to finally be free of servitude."

Blinking away furious tears, she stared hard at the ground. If Kuiil can understand the worth of a life free of it, why was he... simply giving Bean up like that? Surrendering an innocent child, _just like that?_

"I understand," the Mandalorian said, "Then... all I can offer is my thanks."

"And I offer mine."

The Ugnaught was quiet for a few moments, and she felt his gaze on her back, but she refused to turn around. Elana simply straightened, taking a look at the sleeping Bean in his pram.

"Thank you for bringing peace to my valley." It almost sounded as if he was talking to the Mandalorian and her at the same time, and if she pondered on his tone, she thought that she could find a hint of regret in his words. _But what did it matter?_

Heavy steps sounded as Kuiil descended the ramp, and she stood up the best she could, facing him. "And good luck with the Child," the Ugnaught called from on top of his blurrg, "May it survive and bring you a handsome reward."

The Mandalorian nodded at him, and Kuiil raided a hand in goodbye, old, wise eyes on her, meeting her gaze.

"I have spoken."

Elana clenched her jaw, frown on her face as the ramp raised, cutting off her view from the planet.

"Get up," the Mandalorian said, took off her binders, and pointed towards the ladder. Elana winced at the air that brushed the sensitive ring around her wrists, the skin feeling raw. She climbed, head tucked in low with the new environment, not wanting to bang her body against something, and when Elana arrived in what looked like the cockpit, she quietly inched to the side, letting the Mandalorian step into it as well.

He walked past her, used his vambrace to gently nudge the pram to the right of him, onto a co-pilot's seat. As Elana looked around, there was a symmetrical seat on the left side as well. Sitting down into it, hands in her lap, she watched the Mandalorian as he started to prepare the _Razor Crest_ for takeoff.

Ignoring the whirr of the engine as the ship raised into the sky, and ascended in the atmosphere, she tried to calm her pounding heart and the sinking feeling in her chest. When the ship arrived into orbit of the planet, the warm glow of it slowly fading into the cold and infinite space, Bean woke up. Pushing himself up, and cooing loudly, both adults turned to look at him.

"Morning, Bean," she whispered, and gave him a shaky smile. His eyes went huge as he took in the viewport speckled with stars.

The Mandalorian shifted in his seat, pulled at a lever, and they entered hyperspace. Elana stared at the tunnel of swirling lights, heart beating fast in her chest. It had been so long since she had last seen this...

Bean made a loud squeak, eyes bright as he took in the new sight. Pointing excitedly at the lights, she felt a _Pretty!_ coming from him. 

The Mandalorian turned around, took a look at the babbling baby, and gave something like a huff of amusement. Bean squealed happily, and made grabby hands towards the blue swirling tunnel, little body wriggling as his ears were raised high. Smiling at the sight, Elana subtly took a deep breath, feeling the claw around her heart easing slightly. Only slightly, though.

They stayed in the cockpit for a few hours, not a word passing between them, the only noises coming from Bean.

Elana wondered whether the Mandalorian would play music, or put on a podcast, or watch a holomovie, anything that she herself would have probably done, but he just stared into the hyperspace tunnel, not moving an inch, with no indicator that he would do anything else.

 _Maybe he's meditating_. Elana tried to find an explanation for why someone would choose to pass the time in hyperspace like that. _Or he is sleeping, resting his eyes, whatever._

Because there was no way the Mandalorian simply stared into space for hours at an end without doing anything.

... right?

At some point, the Mandalorian started to fiddle with the sleep cycle on the console of the ship.

"You and the baby can go down for rations," he said. Flinching at the first words that were spoken in hours, she had to calm her fast beating heart. _He’s just saying something normal. Not threatening,_ Elana told herself, and offered a quiet "okay" in response.

Looking over to Bean, she saw that he was chewing on his blanket, and she stood up and gently took it out of his mouth. "Come on," she told him, "We're gonna eat."

Scooping him up, ignoring the slight pang her wrists gave, the skin red and raw after many days of constantly wearing the cuffs, Elana turned to the Mandalorian. "Do you want something as well?"

He was quiet, before saying: "I'll be fine."

Elana blinked in confusion, but walked towards the closed door of the cockpit. It suddenly opened with a hiss, making her jump. When she turned her head to shoot a glare at the Mandalorian, his helmet was still in the same position, the blue light of hyperspace reflecting off it.

 _He did that on purpose, that bastard,_ she thought viciously, hiding a grimace.

Setting Bean down, before climbing halfway into the hull, Elana propped her upper body against the ladder so she could grab the baby, nestling him against her shoulder. 

With a slight struggle, she got both of them down safely, and looked around the hull, her wrists burned fiercely. Spotting a cabinet on the side where there could be rations, she pressed the button next to the ladder.

When it opened to a drawer full of weapons, she could not help but sneer. He seemed to be a tough enough adversary without all those ridiculous guns he had organised so neatly inside the drawer.

What was it again? _He's a Mandalorian, weapons are part of his religion._ Elana scoffed quietly, and muttered "Nutjob" under her breath. Bean cooed curiously, reaching a hand out to the drawer. She balked at that. "Don't even think about it, honey," she scolded him, and quickly pressed the same button so the door would shut, "You're too young for this violent nonsense, you hear me?" 

Pressing another button after carefully inspecting it, it seemed to be the right one, filled with packaged ration bars organised in some compartments. With a raised brow, she took in the contents, and started mentally filing away the different types of bars he seemed to have. Apparently he cared enough to upkeep a variety of selection, and with a smile she saw with a smile that he had those that the encampment had as well, those that Bean loved.

She fished that bar out, and showed it to the baby, who made a happy noise as he recognised the packaging. Bean promptly pointed at in expectantly, waiting for her to open the bar for him.

Elana nuzzled the side of his head with a fond smile. "Yeah, honey, give me a moment," she said, before taking out two random ration bars, and closing the closet. 

Seeing an open cubicle, she sat Bean into it, and pointed at him sternly. "You stay here, I'll be back in a minute, okay?" Bean just looked up at her with big dark eyes, and gave her a gummy smile.

Opening the packet for him so he could chew on it, she left the little one in the cubicle, and pulled herself up into the upper level of the _Razor Crest._ Clenching the ration bar in her hand, she entered the cockpit, and put it onto the console. “Here,” she said quietly.

The Mandalorian's helmet snapped to her. "Thank you," he said hesitantly, "That's... very thoughtful of you."

Elana clenched her jaw and looked down, already regretting this. "You're welcome," she whispered, before turning, preparing to leave.

"Why are you like this?" the Mandalorian suddenly asked.

She did not turn around, her nails digging into her palms, it hurt, but she could not bring herself to unclench her fist.

"Why are you so…" _kind? Was that what he wanted to say?_

The Mandalorian never finished the sentence, but the question lingered in the air. She felt her ribcage pressing in, her breath escaping her, heart thrumming against her sternum, and did not know how to respond. The words bubbled up and pressed against her throat, almost painful, and even as she swallowed, the pressure did not disappear, continued to hurt as she stared at him with burning eyes.

 _Because the universe has not been kind to me._

Because even though she had lived a fairly privileged life, she had to see her planet's destruction on a newscast. Because she had lost everyone she ever knew in a blink of an eye, stranded on a foreign planet where no one showed her kindness when she needed it.

She wanted to say everything and some more.

_Because no matter what, kindness costs nothing and is worth everything. Because even though you're our captor, you are decent enough for not hurting Bean, for not doing worse to me._

"I don't know," was the only thing she could manage, staring into the blank visor, feeling everything and nothing at the same time, body numb. She took a step back, then another, before fleeing the cockpit, feeling her eyes burn fiercely as his gaze lingered on her, almost intense enough to scorch. 

Dropping down into the hull again, choking down her heavy breaths from the confrontation, hands shaking and limbs trembling, she was greeted with the sight of Bean standing in front of the open weapon drawer. A ration bar was in his hand as he chewed slowly.

"Bean!" Elana admonished, hands on her hips as she watched him turn around slowly, ears flattening against his head as he realised that he had been caught.

He gave a coo at her, his dark eyes wide as if trying to appeal at her maternal instincts with acting cute. And _damn it_ , it is working.

"You're in big trouble if I see you doing that again, you understand?" Elana told him sternly, trying to get her emotions under control, "It's dangerous! Those are not toys, those can hurt you if you touch the wrong parts."

His lower lip wobbled, and he looked up at her, eyes heartbroken. She scooped him up, and stepped closer to the drawer. Pointing to the various things mounted in there, she explained. "Those are blasters, they'll shoot a laser bolt out of the parts there, you see? It hurts a lot when you're shot with it, so _stay away from them_ , okay?"

Bean blinked up at her again, and then ate the last bite of the ration bar, gurgling. Elana sighed, before closing the drawer. Taking a look around the hull, she sighed again. "Now, where are we supposed to sleep? You don't suppose on the floor, right?" Elana asked Bean, who did not give an answer. Not that she expected him to. 

She started to carefully explore the ship to avoid thinking of the bounty hunter, holding Bean tightly so he would not even get the idea of going off on his own again. Elana took note of the different crates, the nets hanging above holding various tools. The location of the standard issue medicine cabinet that was well stocked, and the carbonite freezers in the back.

Elana stared at them, feeling her heart drop. 

She had only heard horror stories about them, how the frozen person would still be completely aware of their surroundings the whole time they were in. How it would hurt to get frozen and that they would be sick for a long time after they were released from the device. Was it that there was a sixty percent probability of survival? Or was it lower? How did the Mandalorian even get his hands on these?

Suddenly she realised how lucky she had been to not be slabbed by the bounty hunter, how he had tolerated every time she had snapped back. Did he only slab dangerous quarries or did he refrain from doing it to her because he would have to look after Bean without help?

Elana did not know the answer to that, but one thing she was certain of. She was running out of time with which she could escape. Bean gurgled at her, and she could do nothing but sigh. _What a mess. What an absolute, horrible mess._

Turning away from the carbonite freezer, she settled down onto the floor of the hull, ignoring the biting cold of the metal. >"You're not going anywhere near there, all right?" Elana told Bean in a stern voice, "It's dangerous, okay? In fact, everything on this ship is very, very dangerous."

She pointed a finger at him, and Bean lowered his ears, mouth down turned.

"No."

He whined loudly, and raised his hands up at her. Elana sighed, and pulled him onto her lap, holding him close.

"Oh, honey," she whispered, and pressed a kiss onto his forehead, "What have we gotten ourselves in?"

He seemed to understand the weight of the question, and did nothing but coo and nuzzle her skin, ears hanging low.

_How do we get away now?_

It was long until she was able to settle down, from pacing along the hull of the ship, trying to work out some of her nervous energy. She was quietly panicking until Bean had fallen asleep on her shoulder and is currently snoring quietly while his warm breath puffed against where his little face was. Then, she had carefully lowered herself onto the ground, back leaning against the hull, giving Bean the opportunity to snooze some without her pacing like a nervous Mid Rim chicken. As his breaths deepened, she started to quietly hum a song, letting the melody soothe both her and the baby.

He snuggled into her chest even more, and she carefully traced a finger over his cheek, looking down at him with the utmost devotion. There is nothing she would not do for Bean. Her scalp hurt, so she reached up, taking care not to disturb the baby, and started to methodically loosen her braids, sighed in relief as the tension lessened, massaging the ache away.

The little lump on her chest gave out a little coo and sighed contentedly, nose twitching slightly. She stroked the soft ear, tracing the shell of it with her fingers, and started the song from the beginning again. She was close to falling asleep herself, she noticed, but was so tired that she actually did not care. 

She will deal with it tomorrow.

Elana jerked up, wide awake once more, the panic swelling up again. _Tomorrow._

Tomorrow Bean will be delivered to the client. She exhaled shakily, feeling her heart beat fast.

She propped herself up a bit, looking up and saw the Mandalorian watching her. She did not know how long he had been standing there, but she definitely had not heard him. They stared at each other for a few seconds, Elana's eyes wide, and his visor trained on her. Who knew what kind of face he had underneath the helmet. Who knew if he was sneering at her or mocking her.

Bean let out a yawn that cracked his face wide open, and then pressed his face into her shirt, little legs scooting up froggy style, straddling her stomach. She automatically moved her arm under his little bum, supporting the child, and looked down at the green baby.

His face was squished into her, head turned slightly upwards, button nose twitching. He started to snore softly, and Elana felt her heart break.

That was what the Empire wanted to destroy, that little, wonderful, precious creature, her child. They would take his innocence away, and she would probably never see him again. For the rest of his life, he would be experimented on, he would never have a childhood, he would never have friends, he would only know the hands of uncaring scientists that would toss him away as soon as they finished their examinations.

Hate welled up in her, white hot anger, pure despair and helplessness swirling inside her as her eyes started to burn. 

The Empire would take her child away and give him a horrible life. They would take Bean away and there was nothing she could do. The only thing that could happen is that the Mandalorian changes his mind, but that was unlikely. If he did not want to turn them in, he would have left them on Arvala-7. Elana felt wetness on her cheeks, her vision of Bean blurring more and more. Careful so her tears would not drop on the sleeping child, she tilted her head back and stared hard at the ceiling. 

"Could you move the pram to me, please?" Elana could not recognize her voice, hoarse and meek. 

The Mandalorian just nodded in her peripheral vision, pushed a button on his vambrace, and the pram floated to her, nearly at ground level. Setting the sleeping Bean into it, she was glad he did not wake up when she shifted him.

As soon as the lid of the pram closed with a slight hiss, she clenched her eyes shut and inhaled deeply, making no noise other than slightly hitched breaths. She did not shift in her seat, did not move or change position. Elana just could not stop crying. The tears rolled down her cheeks without her consent, and she did not bother to wipe them away, her limbs not cooperating anyways.

Elana couldn't fight against the Empire. She was not able to when they destroyed her planet. She would not be able to save her baby as well. She _could not_ fight against a Mandalorian. 

_I hate you,_ she thought at him, jaw clenched tight.

She saw how the Mandalorian's helmet tilted in her direction, observing her. Her vision blurred some more, new tears welling up.

 _I hate you,_ Elana thought again, heart aching, choking on a sob that caught in her throat. _I hate you so much._

The Mandalorian just kept watching her, not moving an inch. She finally looked back, tears obscuring her vision but she gave him the fiercest glare she could manage. Pushing herself up from the ground, away from the pram, she knew that she looked exactly into his eyes.

Elana stepped closer to the Mandalorian, and he straightened. Leaning into the Mandalorian's personal space, getting into his face, she wanted nothing more than just stab him in the neck. Never before had she felt such hatred towards anyone. 

_He is the one who will give my child to the Empire._

"Go to hell," Elana heard herself say, her voice barely above a whisper, breaking on the last word. Before he could say anything, she pushed past him, and disappeared into the tiny fresher, slamming the door shut. Back leaning against the door, she slid down to the ground, biting her bottom lip so hard she tasted blood.

Never before had she felt such loathing. She hated him. And that was apparently all that was needed for her to completely break down. Burying her face into her hands, she sobbed, shoulders shaking under the strain of keeping quiet.

It did not matter to her anymore. The notion that she had to maintain the stoic facade in front of the Mandalorian had gone up in smoke, she did not care at all if he found her pathetic. Let him mock her for all she cared, let him laugh himself stupid at the sight of her tears, reduced to rubble under his silent judgement.

She felt like a complete fraud, everything she did before to protect Bean? It was worth _nothing_ , because he would give them up anyway. She could have tried to kill him before they left Arvala-7, but she did not. Never mind what would have happened, she could have killed him, stabbed him in his sleep while they were repairing the _Razor Crest_. She and Bean could have stayed at Kuiil's place until they would have to leave again, seeking shelter somewhere else. If she had done that, Bean would not face capture tomorrow. _If._

Elana cried until she was trembling, every single one of her limbs shaking uncontrollably. She cried until there were no tears left, and then some more, until exhaustion took over her and she fell asleep on the floor, against the door of the fresher, heart aching too much for her to handle. 

_If. Oh, only _if_._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and commenting, everytime I see the activities I'm so grateful for you readers❤ I hope that you have a nice day!!


	8. The Imperials

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They are handed over to the Imperials

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: canon-typical violence, distress, angst, separation from their children, (implied) prostitution, non-explicit mentions of sexual harassment/assault, non-consensual drugging

When Elana came to herself after a while, it was with the mother of all headaches. Groaning as she tried to prop herself up, clutching the edge of the sink, she did her best to become a bit more coherent.

Washing her face with the ice cold water in the sink, she flinched at the sting in her eyes. Looking up into the small mirror cabinet, she winced at the puffiness of her eyes, how prominent the bruises under them were. Her dark hair was a mess, tangled with knots and flyaway hairs sticking up. She loosened her braid, trying to comb it through with her fingers and get some resemblance of order. She did not bother braiding it neatly against her scalp again. Pressing ice cold fingers against her face, she was able to de-puff it a bit, making herself a bit more presentable. Elana wished that she had some of her old stuff that she had left on Arvala-7 back, something to give her a bit of comfort, to help her feel more put together.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she had to blink several times to stop the tears that threatened to well up again. She felt so useless, so weak in the face of what was to come.

Suddenly, something flickered across their bond. Bean was searching for her. He was pushing pictures at her of him in the cockpit, the glint of the beskar helmet from his point of view, and the blue streaks of hyperspace. The left seat behind the pilot's was empty.

Elana blinked, and was seeing herself in the mirror again. Staring at the reflection, still looking tired and scared but not as wrecked as a few minutes earlier, she sighed deeply.

Time to go.

Smoothing out the wrinkles in her shirt, dusting off her pants and adjusting the belt, she did her best to loosen her body, stretching some, waking herself up a bit. Retying the laces on her leather boots and combing her hands through her hair again, she opened the door of the fresher. Peeking out cautiously, the cargo bay was the same as the night before, just missing the pram and the Mandalorian.

Looking at the ladder that went up into the cockpit, she grasped the rungs and pulled herself up. Getting into the cockpit, she saw the blue swirls of hyperspace through the viewport, cruelly beautiful for what was lying behind it.

Elana moved quietly and walked to the right co-pilot seat and looked into Bean’s pram. He looked up at her, ears perking up and he smiled brightly, cooing at her. The helmet of the Mandalorian did not move an inch.

"Morning, honey," she whispered to Bean as she stroked his ear, marvelling again at the softness of his skin. She could not help but smile, wrinkling her nose at him as she squatted down to be at the same height as him.

She distantly noticed that the bounty hunter had turned his head, and was now watching them. Elana ignored him, and took Bean into her arms. It was unfair how cute he was. He tried to grab at her hand, patting at her clumsily, eyes wide and full of love. Briefly pressing her forehead to the little one's, brows drawn together, she then placed a kiss on his fuzzy head.

"Today's a big day," she told him, a slight tremble in her voice, "You have to behave all day, all right? You‘ve got to listen to what I say, mhm?"

Bean cooed at her, patting at her cheeks.

"Dropping out of hyperspace in a minute," the warning of the Mandalorian shattered the moment. Elana just nodded, and resisted the urge to glare at him as she carefully put Bean back into the pram.

Getting to her seat and sitting down gingerly, she stared into the tunnel of blue and white swirls, and watched them leave hyperspace.

The planet in front of them was dark grey, with red veins bleeding through the surface, grey clouds swirling in the atmosphere. It looked as foreboding as she would have expected, and some part deep in her scoffed at the almost theatrical suspense that started to build up.

Nails biting into her palms painfully, Elana clenched her hands so tight she was surprised the skin did not break. She looked at the planet in front of them, growing larger by the second.

_So, this is it._

That was Nevarro.

That was where the Mandalorian would hand them over to the clients.

Elana did not know exactly what the Imperials wanted Bean for, but every scenario she came up with was more horrific than the last. They could possibly turn him into a weapon with the abilities he possessed, and if he was not capable of reaching the expectations they had set, simply get rid of him. Elana could see Bean trying to climb out of his pram, and gave a start before watching him carefully.

Meanwhile, a hologram message was opened by the Mandalorian, the static fuzzing the blue-tinted figure that appeared. It was of an older, dark skinned human, wearing a coat that looked expensive, a big smile on his face, visible even from where she was sitting.

" _Mando!_ " He greeted, " _I received your transmission. Wonderful news._ " The Mandalorian's helmet turned towards it more, giving the pre-recorded message his full attention.

" _Upon your return, deliver the quarry directly to the client. I have no idea if he wants to eat it or hang it on his wall but he's very antsy. Safe passage. You know where to find me._ "

While listening to the man speak, her fists clenched so hard that her nails left deep indentations in her palm, the sharp pain of it making her inhale sharply.

The Mandalorian turned around at the noise, and gave her a once-over. She glared into space, not even giving him the satisfaction of seeing her look back.

"He won't eat the asset," he tried to assure her, but the undercurrent of uncertainty in his voice betrayed him. Elana ignored the bounty hunter, and glanced at Bean.

Bean was unscrewing the silver knob of the lever on the right of the Mandalorian, and started to chew on it. _Shiny!_ he was thinking, delighted with the way it reflected the light.

_Good Bean_ , she sent to him, smiling grimly, the pettiness in her overwhelming.

But the Mandalorian caught sight of what the baby was doing, and extracted the silver knob from him.

Elana noticed how gentle he was with Bean, but what did that matter? Was being nice to a child that he was going to be delivering to death somehow a redeeming quality?

"It's not a toy," he told him, placing the silver knob on the headboard before picking Bean up by the nape of the oversized robes he wore and carefully placing him back into the pram. Bean whined at the loss, and looked to her, eyes pleading and lower lip trembling. She could feel over the bond how much he liked that silver ball.

"He said no, honey," she answered, leaning towards the small child. His ears drooped, and he pouted, completely adorable.

The ship angled itself differently and began the descent into the planet's atmosphere, the dropping altitude mirroring the sinking feeling in Elana's chest.

It took another hour, the _Razor Crest_ battling against the air resistance of Nevarro, and Elana took Bean into the hull, unwilling to spend more time in the presence of the Mandalorian than necessary.

The little green child was sitting on her lap, playing with the end of her hair. She carefully brushed out the strands, gently undoing any knots while humming a song to calm Bean. He was starting to feed off her anxiety, becoming more fussy by the minute.

Pinning her hair up, figuring that loose hair and flyaways would not help her in any case, Elana tried to control her shaky hands.

She felt her control over the situation slipping through her fingers like quicksand, and the more desperately she reached for it, the quicker the quiet moments before the storm seemed to pass.

The ship landed with a thud. Her chest felt like it was caving in, hollow and numb and a deep panic started to spread. Bean patted at her thighs, looking up at her. Elana tried to give him a smile, but knew deep down that it was so wobbly that even Bean would know that something was wrong.

Shortly afterwards, the Mandalorian dropped down from the cockpit, almost completely silent. His helmet tilted towards her, and he gave a jerk of his head.

"Time to go," he told her.

"Are you really gonna do this?" Elana asked, her whole body trembling.

"Yes." His voice was flat, without any kind of emotion.

"Can we make a deal?" Desperation filled her voice, tasting sour, "Please, is there anything I can do?" She felt her body shake, but gathering all her courage, she looked him straight into the visor.

"Don't try it." His voice was cold, and he simply tilted his head.

Swallowing down her humiliation, she jutted her jaw. "I would let you do anything to me," she whispered, feeling hot tears burn behind her eyes as she fought to keep her eyes on his helmet, " _Anything_ , as long as you don't hand him over."

He was silent, and she tasted blood on her tongue, having bit down too hard, ears rushing, feeling faint. She readied herself for his answer, determined not to cry.

"No deal," he said quietly, not moving an inch. Even though her heart dropped with relief, the last offer she could have made him was now out of the question.

Elana could not keep the bite out of her voice when she snapped at him. "Mandalorian, I beg you," she tried to ignore how dangerously choked up she was beginning to sound, "Bean is just a child, please, _don't_."

Bean babbled at her, feeling her anger and fear through their bond, and tugged at her shirt.

The Mandalorian stepped closer and loomed over her, simply tilting his visor down. "No deal," he repeated, voice firm.

She shrank back, fear and disgust building up in her in equal measure.

"You have no honour," she said, desperately trying not to cry, "You have no honour if you hand Bean over."

"Are you done?" His voice was as cold as ice.

"Not in the slightest," she hissed, lip curled in a snarl as her entire body burned, white hot anger coursing through her.

He simply looked her in her face, beskar helmet menacing. "I don't care."

"You know that you killed him, right?" Elana spat, tears in her eyes, "Bean's death will be on you."

He said nothing, just pushed a button on his vambrace, lowering the ramp of the _Razor Crest_ , before harshly cuffing her already injured wrists together. She did not hide her wince at the rough treatment, but stared at the ground, unwilling to give the Mandalorian even more satisfaction at seeing her in pain, humiliation and despair cresting over her like a tidal wave.

Seething silently, she stepped after him.

The sunlight from outside was blinding, and she had to squint as they descended, the ramp folding itself up behind them while the Mandalorian set off, taking a sharp turn to the left. Elana kept up, but it was a difficult thing as his gait was quick and purposeful. On their right another ship was landing, the wind that resulted from it whipping in Elana's face, and a distressed coo from Bean made her look over. His eyes were big and worried, his ears flapping in the wind. He knew that something was wrong.

Trailing after the Mandalorian, she took in the sights of Nevarro. The diffused light through the covered sky and the bare rock on the ground gave the place a cold feeling, not eased by the grey housings and stone structures around them.

The air smelled of sulfur and ash, dried magma, making her suppress a gag. It was surprisingly cool for a lava planet, the breeze cold enough to make goosebumps rise on her skin.

There were some colourful bursts of orange and red stall coverings, but the contrast washed out the rest even more. Dust was in the air, smoke and steam rising from the houses, swirling up by the masses of people in the town itself. A big main street was framed by a stone pillar gate, weathered and missing pieces, towering above them, about ten times taller than Elana herself.

The people in the main square were from everywhere; she could see Jawas, Twi'leks, different droids, Humans, Kiffar, and countless other species. Noises filled the air, different stalls showcasing various wares, droid chatter, yelling by vendors, conversations between different individuals, all overlapping to a symphony of sounds that did nothing to calm Elana in the slightest. Bean made a loud noise, turning his head towards the Mandalorian and giving him a questioning look. Elana clenched her jaw as he did not even turn his head towards the child, but kept on walking straight ahead, the cold light of the sun reflecting off his helmet and pauldron.

Bean's ears lowered, an undercurrent of fear thrumming through the bond, too many new sights and noises all at once, and no comfort was to be taken from the Mandalorian.

She tried her best to send back some reassurance but she was as scared as he was. And he knew that, could feel it, his fear wrapping around her heart, as hers did around his.

Taking a few turns away from the main street, they arrived at a staircase that descended into a sketchy looking alley. The tall walls of the buildings around them made it feel like they were caged in, nowhere to go. Elana wanted to start to beg, make offers, trying anything if it meant that he would change his mind. But there was no negotiating with him, he proved that.

"Please," she choked out, looking at him imploringly, but he ignored her.

The Mandalorian knocked on a door on the right of them, and a sensor droid shot out of the hatch next to it, a big singular red eyeball knob, gargling a language she could not understand. The little one jumped and made a scared noise, and Elana instinctively put herself in front of him, shielding her Bean.

Holding out the fob in his right hand, the Mandalorian let the sensor droid scan it, and after a short exclamation, the droid folded back into the building again.

Bean garbled a questioning noise, looking towards the Mandalorian, and then to her, and she held out her hand, tracing his ear carefully in reassurance.

Then, stormtroopers stepped out, and Elana's heart skipped a beat. Their white armour was battered, rust starting to creep onto the white paint, adding to the grotesque look the stormtroopers were already sporting. The Mandalorian turned to look at them, and visibly hesitated. Elana's heart was beating so fast in her chest she started to feel slightly faint, her breath becoming quick, panic visible on her face. Bean was whining low in fear, so quiet only she could hear it, due to her laser focus on him.

_This is it._

They entered the building.

The stormtroopers led them in, one in front, and one in the back. They were caging the Mandalorian, Bean and her between them. The door closed.

Elana closed her eyes, taking in a deep shuddering breath as she set one foot in front of the other.

_No way back._

One of them yanked at the pram, startling the child, who squeaked in protest. Elana gave a start but before she could say anything, the Mandalorian cut in, voice tense.

"Easy with that," he said, earning a scoff from the stormtrooper.

" _You_ take it easy," he mocked, amusement in his voice.

Elana looked to the ground, trying to keep her cool. Her heart beat fast in her chest, her throat felt as it was being choked, blood rushing in her ears. She was _terrified_.

When the door swished open, revealing a large room, the beeping of a tracking fob filled the air.

The room was as desolate as Nevarro itself, a grey, unadorned duracrete warehouse with loose crates strewn around, some windows with closed blinds in the back, a big table and three chairs smack in the middle of it. There were two men, one an old man, dressed in dark, expensive garments and a signet of the Empire hanging around his throat. The other, younger, had dark hair and a beard, wearing glasses as well as a white uniform with dark pants.

The Imperial was approaching fast, a manic look in his eyes and glee on his face.

"Yes," he said, coming closer, approaching fast, "Yes, yes, _yes_."

They both peered into the pram.

"Yes," the old man hissed, looking at Bean.

The younger man scanned the child with a red blinking device, Bean whimpering against the bright light, and he was positively giddy as he announced that Bean was healthy. Then, he turned to Elana, and a look of confusion was on his face.

"Who is this, Mandalorian?" he asked, and scanned her as well.

The red light hurt her eyes, but she did not flinch as she stared at the ground.

"Its caretaker," the Mandalorian replied, making a gesture to the pram. The man hummed, and nodded after he completed the scan.

"She is healthy as well," he said, before offering a friendly smile, "We will have good use for her." Elana could not help the shiver that ran down her back when those words were issued, and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Now it was settled. Before, she did not know for certain how her fate will be. Now, it was with the Imperials. She refused to panic even more, it would not help her in the slightest.

"Your reputation was not unwarranted," the old man said, sounding smug, watery eyes sliding over her before fixing on the Mandalorian.

"How many fobs did you give out?" the bounty hunter asked, voice tense, and Elana resisted the urge to sneak a look at him, but stared hard at the ground instead, shoulders set back and back straight.

The Imperial exhaled, and his Core World accent was pronounced as he said: "This asset was of extreme importance to me. I had to ensure its delivery."

His head turned in their direction, and she could almost feel how his gaze swept over her and Bean.

"But to the winner-," he announced as he tossed the fob onto his desk. The Imperial lifted a grey camtono with little difficulty from beneath the desk, and placed the payment for Bean on the surface with a hard _thud_ , "go the spoils."

Pressing a few buttons, the camtono opened with a hiss. The Mandalorian gave a start, and began to walk towards it, Bean and her forgotten.

Elana lifted her gaze, and froze when she took in the stacked ingots that were inside. Was that some kind of precious metal? Why was that a payment?

But as the Mandalorian approached the table and inspected the ingots, the reflection of them in the light made her heart skip.

_Beskar. Those were beskar ingots._

It was a huge sum, Elana realized, and the way the Mandalorian had tried to keep them safe suddenly made more sense. A lot more sense.

He was going to get a reward that would make him the richest man in the parsec, _of course_ he would not risk them getting hurt, of course he would want to ensure that he would get the full reward.

Bean and her lives were being traded away for a stack of beskar.

Rage started to boil in her, but she kept her mouth shut, biting hard enough on her tongue that she tasted blood.

He was going to give the most beautiful child away to the Empire for _riches_.

"Such a large bounty for such a small package," the old Imperial said, a smile on his face, and when Elana met his gaze, his smile became mocking. Her nails dug into her palm, and the skin broke once again, warm blood seeping out the indentions in her trembling palm.

The dark haired man pressed a button, and Bean's pram started to float towards him, and Elana instinctively took a step after Bean. With a smile that was probably meant to be reassuring, the man gestured for her to follow him, and she did.

She had no other choice.

With a final look back, she stared at the Mandalorian, feeling numb. He stared back, visor trained on her.

"I hope you rot," Elana whispered, tears gathering in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. The bounty hunter stood, so still she thought him a statue.

Turning away, legs feeling like lead, she went after the pram, following it as it floated into the next room, away from the Mandalorian.

Bean was sitting sideways, little claws on the edge of his pod as he cooed loudly, calling out to the Mandalorian, voice reflecting his fear. Her nails digged into her skin even more, the sharp sting almost making her gasp. Elana could not bear the sight, would not turn around to the man who had effectively killed them. She could not. If she looked back, she would cry.

Bean's ears lowered when no answer came, and he scrambled into the back of his pram as the door shut behind them with a hiss.

Elana closed her eyes and bit down hard on her bottom lip, feeling the prick of tears as she took a deep breath.

The man smiled at her as she opened her eyes again, and pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Take a seat, please," he said, gesturing to a small table with two chairs standing next to it. There was a metal carafe and two glasses positioned on it, as well as a clipboard with some documents. She did as he said, smoothing out the wrinkles in her pants, ignoring the two stormtroopers in the corner of the room.

"Terribly sorry about the inconvenience, Miss," he said, "I am Dr. Pershing. If I may ask, what is your name?"

She looked at him warily. "What will you do with the information?" Elana asked, voice quiet, eyes never leaving the dark haired man.

Pershing shuffled slightly, "We will not _do_ anything with it, per se, but it will make things easier, you understand?" Even if he was not threatening in the slightest and did not feel dangerous at all, he unnerved her. Why would he bother being friendly? Was that just who he was, or did he have some higher plan? Was he trying to gain her trust?

"Elana Lissiri," she stated, observing his reaction. There was no recognition in his eyes.

_A good sign_ , she thought to herself.

"All right, Miss Lissiri, you are the Asset's caretaker, as I understand it?"

"Yes. What are your plans for him?" With every word, her voice became steadier, and she was now fixing the doctor with an icy glare. Bean was observing them with big eyes, deathly silent. The anger in her started to swell again, because _Bean was scared._ And she would not stand for it. Now, she was the only thing standing between the Imperials and her child, and she would _die_ before letting anything happen to him.

"Oh, nothing like you fear, I assure you," he said, "Just a few tests we need to make, nothing big, and nothing dangerous."

He fixed her with an earnest look, and she must have still looked skeptical enough for Pershing to start talking again.

"To be entirely honest, Miss Lissiri, I abhorred the way we had to retrieve you, but it was necessary to get you to Nevarro as fast as we could."

"Why?" she snapped, not caring at all that she was impolite, "Why send bounty hunters after him?"

Dr. Pershing looked very uncomfortable, his eyes flickering around the room, not meeting her gaze.

"It was the fastest way, and the most secure one," he tried to say, but Elana pressed on. "Do you know how many times he," she pointed to Bean, whose ears lowered in response, "has been in mortal danger?" Elana started to get truly angry, and her hands clenched into fists once more. Not even caring that the skin was now bloody and painful to the touch, she shook in her seat, all the built up fear cresting over her like waves on a shore.

"That Mandalorian dragged us through conditions that could have easily killed him! He risked dehydration and starvation, not having enough protection from the heat, from the cold-", at these words, she had to take in a deep breath to control the sob that threatened to escape her throat.

She tried to start again, noticing Pershing's concerned look, and somehow, that was too much. Bringing up all the danger they had been through since the cursed Mandalorian had killed all the Niktos in the encampment made her realise how many times she could have lost Bean. How many times she had been in danger as well, how many times the only thing that kept her whole was decided by the bounty hunter who had brought them here. How he could have easily hurt her, hurt Bean. And now she would definitely lose Bean to the Imperials because of him.

She tried to fight it with all her might, but Elana started to cry again, tears welling up and rolling down her cheeks. Burying her face in her hands, she muffled her sobs as Pershing reached out hesitantly and patted her shoulder. Elana had half a mind to shrug him off but the other part of her was simply too distraught to think coherent thoughts.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that, but be assured, we will not harm the two of you."

_Lie._

It shot through her like a lightning bolt, everything in her screaming against it.

Elana looked up and into Dr. Pershing's eyes.

_He may say that but he does not believe it himself_ , the warning told her.

He smiled at her, and cleared his throat. "We need to do certain check ups on both of you to ensure that you are both functional," he said, "May I start with you?"

What could she do? Say no? Not likely. So she nodded, and stood up.

The man started collecting some different measuring tools, and started the check up. A flashlight was held into her eyes, and her hearing and reflexes were quickly inspected. The doctor was a complete professional, but still, her skin crawled every time he had to touch her physically in some way.

Bean was looking at her with curiosity and concern in equal measures, and she did her best to send some reassuring thoughts across the bond. But it had no use. Bean knew that something was wrong, he knew that she was scared, which made him even more scared as well. After she had been deemed fit enough for Imperial standards in addition to the scan they had given, it was Bean's turn.

He whined every time Dr. Pershing touched him, checking his ears, his eyes, looking at his claws and teeth.

Bean tried to bite him but the doctor was faster, and from the impatient huff he gave Elana _knew_ that if she was not there, hovering over his shoulder and watching like a hawk, he would have punished the child one way or another. "Shush, baby," he murmured every few moments, as if that would calm him down.

Bean frowned, his mouth downturned, and scooted away from the man, towards the back of the pram, but to no avail, the doctor simply grabbed him and pulled him out.

"Hey," she protested, stepping forward, but one of the stormtroopers grabbed her arm, keeping her in place.

"Dispose of the pod, please," Dr. Pershing said to one of the stormtroopers, and with a nod, the pram trailed behind the man as he left the room.

Bean was struggling in his grasp, little legs kicking and arms flailing, and Dr. Pershing had to adjust him several times.

"Careful, please," Elana pleaded, already taking a step towards them, but the doctor moved towards a device with a huge droid floating above, laying Bean down on the slab beneath it. The small one wriggled and tried to turn on his belly, but with one well placed palm on his body, Dr. Pershing stopped his efforts. He turned his head to Elana, struggling to move towards Bean despite the grip of the stormtrooper on her, desperation on her face.

"I'm sorry, but you cannot be in the room for this procedure," Pershing said with what looked like genuine regret in his eyes, and pressed a button.

"Wait, why?" She asked, in half a mind to tear herself away from the stormtrooper, take the doctor by his uniform and shake him, any pain and punishment be damned. Another door behind her opened, and two different stormtroopers came in.

"Please take Miss Lissiri to operation room two," he requested, and the stormtroopers stepped closer to Elana.

Heart beating fast in her chest, she looked at them frantically. "What are you going to do to him?" Elana asked, an undercurrent of panic in her voice. The stormtrooper already holding her passed her over, and the other ones grabbed her arms, and she started to struggle against them. "Let me go!"

Bean cried out, his hands reaching towards her from his spot. A high whine came out of his mouth, and Elana knew that he was close to crying.

They started to pull her backwards, and Elana dragged her legs, trying to stay on the spot, giving all her strength. "What are you going to do?"

Doctor Pershing just pushed his glasses up his nose, and folded his hands in front of him.

The tug on her body became stronger, and she started to kick and twist her body, "Don't hurt him," she pleaded, arms at an uncomfortable angle behind her as she leaned forward, legs scrambling for purchase against the ground, "Please, don't hurt him!"

Bean shrieked loudly, eyes clenched shut, and she felt a _tug_ , enabling her to get a few steps closer to him before the stormtroopers caught her again.

They dragged her out of the door, and there was nothing she could do as they gained a good hold on her, the struggle not even helping much anymore. Bean started crying, she could hear and feel it across the bond. He was scared, so _scared_.

"Bean!" she screamed his name, kicking out and thrashing like a wild animal, "Bean!"

The crying became louder, and there was a loud crash, like everything in that room had been pushed at the same time, a _wave_ coming from Bean, before it cut off. The bond between them suddenly dimmed, his side becoming fuzzy and unclear. The last thing that came through it was him wanting to be in her arms.

" _Bean!_ "

Dropping to her knees, desperately trying to crawl forwards, to get back into the room, the two stormtroopers grunting at how hard she was resisting.

"Bean!"

"Shut up," one of them told Elana while yanking her back.

"Let me go, please, I have to get to him," she pleaded, tears blurring her view, "Please, _please_."

They successfully got her down the hallway, into another dark room, and with a lot of effort, heaved her onto a table of sorts.

Elana trashed against them, shouting herself hoarse. "Let me go!" She repeated again and again, giving all her strength to escape, but they were too strong and strapped her down onto the table. She twisted, the straps digging into her skin, and Elana knew that if she survived until tomorrow her entire body would be covered in bruises. The stormtroopers’ chests were heaving when they stepped back, Elana finally secured on the desk.

"Wonder if that Mando had such difficulties with her," she could hear them say.

"Y'know, he probably liked pinning her down. Enjoyed some struggling."

They laughed, the sinister sound making her skin crawl.

She tried to move some more, wriggling desperately, but to no avail.

"Stop that, stupid bitch," the other one snarled at her, pushing her onto the table roughly by her shoulder, making the back of her head connect harshly with the table surface.

Blinking at the sudden dizziness, she gasped, clenching her eyes shut at the pain.

The door suddenly swished open, and Dr. Pershing came into sight.

"What have you done with him?" Elana yelled at him, voice thick, tears in her eyes.

He did not answer, simply gave a thin smile before going over to a cabinet at the side, taking out a syringe filled with a clear fluid.

"I sincerely regret the circumstances, Miss Lissiri, I truly do," he said, before shrugging slightly, "But since you're so... _unwilling_ to cooperate, maybe this will help."

Elana thrashed against the straps, trying to get away from the syringe in his hands. Panicked sounds were leaving her without her consent, high and pitiful noises that she did not know she was capable of making.

"No, don't, please," she begged, eyes starting to burn with unshed tears, "Just tell me what you did to him, I'll cooperate, please." Choking back a sob, she watched as the man lined the syringe up with her forearm.

"Please, don't, _please_."

When he injected her, it _burned_.

Elana seized up, a scream building in her throat, though nothing but a whimper escaped.

The world turned blurry. She did not know if it was because of her tears or whatever was now inside her body.

The blood rushing in her ears was deafening.

Her heart beat so fast she felt faint.

"She'll be calm for a few hours," she heard Dr. Pershing say, but it was as if it came through a cotton wall, "Behave yourselves."

Elana's eyes slipped shut.

The world turned dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I am blown away by the responses I´ve gotten, I´m so thankful to every single one of you!


	9. The Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mandalorian helps them escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my loves! Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments, you´re absolutely AMAZING and I´m so glad for you all!! Enjoy!
> 
> Warnings: being drugged, canon-typical violence (death, guns, being held at gunpoint), some tension and violent thoughts

The noises that reached Elana's ears were unintelligible, rushing through her brain.

Someone was doing something near her body. Phantom sensations, noises, feelings running up and down her skin, and she was unable to tell if it was real or not.

Then.

Touch.

There was touch.

Someone was touching her legs, then her arms. She started to move away, a whimper escaping her, her throat raw.

"Hey, easy," someone was saying, but she did not recognize the voice.

"Please, no," she slurred out, brows drawing together as she tried to open her eyes, her eyelids feeling so heavy, "Don't touch me, please." Opening her eyes with effort, she gave a start when a beskar helmet was staring down at her.

Elana flinched back instinctively, drawing into herself. "Not another one, please," she pleaded, tears starting to gather in the corner of her eyes, "not another Mandalorian."

The figure said nothing, just fiddled with something near her wrist. It came loose, and somehow, her limp body was lifted from the table, one arm behind her back and one under her knees. Curling into herself, against the figure, Elana whimpered again.

"Get up," the figure said, "can you walk?"

"Who are you?" she asked instead, voice weak, head spinning, "What is happening?"

She opened her eyes again, and stared up at a vaguely familiar helmet. The person was holding her up, her mind supplied. But when she looked at him, the chest piece was silver. Silver, not rust red. It was not the same Mandalorian, she somehow concluded, mind fuzzy.

Looking around, there was something that was niggling in the back of her mind,something was missing, something very important. Something small and green, big eyes and even bigger ears, a warm giggle and the sensation of someone nuzzling against her--

" _Bean_ ," it escaped her, and she jerked upright, the silver Mandalorian almost dropping her.

She started to wriggle in his hold until he gently set her down, keeping his hand on her back, steadying her.

Elana swayed, unable to stand herself, keeping her balance by holding on to the silver Mandalorian.

"He was screaming, I have to get to him-," she babbled, trying to go for the door. She could see it, it was right in front of her, but when she took a step, her knees buckled. Elana would have landed on her face if not for strong arms holding her up.

"Careful," the man said, "What did they give you?"

"I don't know, it burned, hurt so much," she slurred, stars dancing in front of her eyes, feeling faint, "get me out of here, please." The silver Mandalorian grasped her shoulders, but his grip/he was too firm, it hurt and she struggled the best she could.

"Stay still," he said as his fingers tightened even more, and she could not help the pained gasp that escaped her. The pressure immediately lessened, but his hands were still on her. "Where is Bean?"

Her vision was coming in and out of focus, the darkness trying to drag her under again.

"In another room," she said, voice uneven, brows pulled together, "the first room we were in, I think, with the Imperials, but I'm not sure--"

"Good enough for me," the silver Mandalorian said, before he took her arm and dragged her behind him. She did her best to keep up, feet stumbling over themselves as he tugged her harshly, the urgency with which he moved spurring her on.

Elana could not remember much of how they got into the room in which Bean was, but when they came in, the first thing her eyes set upon was the little child, secured under a beeping device displaying various statistics. The bond between them was foggy, and that realisation made her world come into sharp contrast. Suddenly, everything was crystal clear, in laser focus, and she could not help the start she gave towards Bean.

Dr. Pershing was also there, she noticed, and rage began to fill her. As soon as the man saw the silver Mandalorian, he started to plead pathetically. A shot rang out, something heavy crashing into the ground, but she only had eyes for the doctor.

"No, please. Please, don't hurt him," the doctor was babbling, flinching away from the Mandalorian who pressed in on him, "It's just a child, please!"

Elana gritted her teeth, her fury blazing. "Give him back," she demanded, voice low, but Dr. Pershing just put himself in front of Bean, shaking his head as more pleads fell from his lips.

The Mandalorian grabbed him and tossed him to the ground, pointing a blaster at his face. Elana used the opportunity to get to Bean, to unstrap him the best she could, fingers fumbling with the devices and buttons. When she finally got him free, she pressed the little child close to herself, exhaling in relief. There was a brown blanket lying on the table, and Elana was quick in wrapping Bean up, practised movements fluid even as she was still groggy.

Meanwhile, the Mandalorian was interrogating the doctor. "What did you do to him?" The man asked, voice tight.

"I--"

"What did you _do_ to him?" This time, the Mandalorian was basically snarling, his trigger fingers looking twitchy, his broad figure intimidating as he glared down at the other man.

"I... I protected him! I protected him!" Pershing yelled desperately, shrinking into himself, and whimpered, "If it wasn't for me, he would already be dead!" While Pershing was cowering on the ground, pleading some more, the silver Mandalorian grabbed Elana’s upper arm and tugged her out of the room, making her stumble behind him.

As soon as they exited the room, her knees gave, and she slumped against the wall, a low moan escaping her.

"What is it?" The Mandalorian demanded, doubling back. Elana blinked fast, what little colour she possessed draining from her face. The world was spinning around her, her vision unfocused.

"Dizzy," she choked out as black spots danced in front of her eyes, and whispered "Really dizzy" as her knees buckled again, limbs seeming so heavy. He cursed low under his breath before snaking an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him and tugging her along.

"Can you hold him or should I?" He asked, gesturing to the unconscious Bean. Her grip around her child tightened without her noticing.

"I can hold him," Elana managed, and with a nod, he pulled her further along, helping her stay upright.

They arrived in a dark storage room, crates stacked high, and the door opened.

Blood rushing in her ears, she only heard that the stormtroopers that came in were saying something, but not what. The Mandalorian made short work of them, electrocuting the last one with his rifle, the blue sparks dancing across the plastoid armour as the stormtrooper underneath it twitched. With wide eyes, Elana watched as the stormtrooper collapsed on the floor.

The Mandalorian looked around, checking for a last time, before he grabbed her arm and got them out of the room through the door.

Arriving in the next hallway, a shot rang out from behind, and the Mandalorian moved in front of her in a matter of milliseconds. He let the red bolt ping off from his pauldron, whipped out a blaster and shot the stormtrooper in a fluid motion.

When another one appeared behind them, he tugged Elana close to his chest in a hard motion, one hand on the back of her head, the baby squished between them as he _roasted_ the stormtrooper alive.

The scorching heat of the flames that roared out of his vambrace made her bury her face into his shoulder, flinching away from the fire, body curled protectively around Bean.

The warbled sounds that the man in the plasteel armour was making finally died down, and she whimpered into the silver Mandalorian, unwilling to let him go as he tried to pry her off.

"Hey," he said, slightly pulling away, "Easy, caretaker."

_Easy, caretaker._

The words were so familiar, as well as the cadence he was speaking them in, and it was so _close_ she could almost finally place them--

Oh.

"It's you," she got out, suddenly wanting to be as far away from him as possible. Flinching back, eyes wide, she stared at the Mandalorian.

_It was him._

He came back for them.

Elana tried to shake off the bruising grip he had on her wrist, but another bout of dizziness overcame her.

_What was that stuff?_ Elana asked herself, unable to stop her slumping against the bounty hunter, barely conscious of Bean on her side.

"We have to go," he said, before tugging at her again.

"You left us," she hissed at him harshly, "You left us with _them_!"

The Mandalorian turned his helmet to her as he dragged her across the threshold into another hallway. "Now I'm getting you out," he said.

"Why?"

Relief, confusion, fear and rage were battling against each other viciously, and overarching it all, the need of knowing _why_.

He was quiet as they arrived in the wareroom where they met the client and the doctor today. The room was completely abandoned, and the light that fell in from the outside indicated that it was already late afternoon. They have been there for an entire day. Or was it more?

"It was wrong," the Mandalorian said, voice quiet, but before she could process his answer, let alone figure out how to respond to that, the door hissed open, and two stormtroopers appeared, blasters in their hands. The Mandalorian pointed his own blaster at them, finger already on the trigger.

"Freeze! Don't move!" They commanded, their voices tinny through their speakers. Behind them was a movement and Elana turned, clutching Bean tightly, watching as two other stormtroopers appeared as well.

"Hands up!"

The one directly in front of them snarled "Drop the blaster", looking ready to start shooting. Elana took an involuntary step back, her back knocking into the Mandalorian's chestplate.

"Wait," the modulator behind her said, "What she is holding is very valuable."

She whipped her head around, and stared at the beskar helmet.

_Did he want to surrender them? Again?_ Elana felt her chest seize up, panic starting to build, fear ugly and jagged in her heart, twisting her insides.

"Mandalorian-," she tried to say, but he cut her off.

"Here," he told the stormtroopers, not even looking at her, and motioned for her to kneel down. She did after a second of staring at him in absolute betrayal.

_So much for "It was wrong"._ Dropping begrudgingly to her knees, Bean swaddled in his brown blanket, she hunched over, trembling in rage and fear. The Mandalorian did the same, calmly setting his blaster down to the left of her.

"Now turn and face me," one stormtrooper barked.

Something was suddenly screaming _Danger_ at her, and in the next second, she could hear a high whirring coming from the vambrace of the Mandalorian. It booted up, and with a flick of his wrist, it seemed to activate.

"Stand up!"

An arm shot out, wrapped around her, pulling her close to the Mandalorian as a high whistling filled the air. Something shot out of the vambrace, light fizzing, and before she blinked, the stormtroopers were lying dead on the floor. The Mandalorian calmly stood after taking a look around, grabbed his blaster, and pulled her up, gloved hand wrapped gently around her arm.

Elana exhaled, breath shaky, staring at him. "What was that?"

"Whistling birds," the Mandalorian said, and offered no further explanation, "We have to go."

She tried to take a few steps on her own, and was glad when she found it becoming easier. Even with her brain still fuzzy and her eyes unfocusing randomly, she could walk again. With every new step, Elana was getting more confident, and she did not have to rely on the Mandalorian dragging her along as much as before.

A final door opened, and fresh air filled her lungs. Breathing in deeply, the realization finally set in. _The Mandalorian had rescued them._

The bounty hunter dragged her behind him, going straight into the dark alley in front of them, carefully looking at their surroundings. Once they were a few blocks away from the warehouse, and feeling steady enough on her feet, Elana jogged around and in front of the Mandalorian, forcing him to stop.

Looking up at the impassive beskar helmet, Elana wished she could at least see his eyes. Maybe they would tell her if this was genuine, or if it was some kind of sick joke of his.

"Why the change of heart?" Elana asked, frowning at him.

He breathed out once, shoulders dropping. "We don't have time for this," he said.

She let go of one of the arms holding Bean, and poked him in the chestplate sharply. "We have enough time for _this_ ," she spat, "What is your game here?" Staring at him, eyes accusing, she waited for his answer.

"I'm going to get you both on my ship, and we’re getting the hell out of here," he said, tilting his helmet down at her.

Elana scoffed. "And then?"

"Can we discuss this later?" The Mandalorian said, sounding annoyed.

She raised her chin, knowing that she was meeting his gaze, "Give me your word that Bean will be safe."

"If we get out of here _now_ , I can guarantee it," he said, voice pleading. He grabbed her arm again, and tugged. She stumbled behind him, and if Elana had her way, the beskar would have dented in and crushed his head on the spot. But since there was no satisfaction to be found in this galaxy, the bounty hunter remained alive, dragging them through the alleys on Nevarro.

"Walk normally," he ordered quietly, shoulders back, standing tall, as if everything was all right.

"Easy for you to say when you were not _drugged_ by some weird stuff," she hissed at him, facing forwards, eyes scanning everything in sight.

"You need to walk normally so you won't stand out," the Mandalorian growled, giving her a slight push. She glared at the ground, Bean shifting in her arms slightly before becoming still again. "Says the man in the shiny, reflective armour," Elana murmured, and _if_ she survives this she _will_ ring his helmet like a bell so hard that he will hear it for _days_ afterwards.

The Mandalorian gave a low tense hum, "We don't have time for this," he repeated, increasing his pace.

"Kark you," she gritted out between her teeth, finally turning her head to glare at him.

Elana could hear faint beeping, and with horror she recognized the sound of a tracking fob. "Mandalorian-" she whispered, "there is-"

"I know," he replied, one arm moving towards his blaster, "walk faster."

People started to appear from everywhere, starting to surround the square they find themselves in, carrying various weapons. Elana's eyes scanned over each of them, analysing the increasing numbers, the bounty fobs beeping in their pockets, the greedy look in their eyes and the frown on their faces.

"Mandalorian-" Elana tried again, only to be shushed by him. Her grip on Bean tightened, and she tried her best to let herself have faith in the Mandalorian's abilities.

He was able to take out the Niktos in the encampment, to get a Mudhorn egg, to get Bean and her back without leaving anyone alive. He _had_ to have some kind of plan, she hoped.

Blasters were now raised at them, and she instinctively moved Bean so he was between her and the Mandalorian, the blanket wrapped around him concealing his small figure even more. The bounty hunters helmet tilted towards her, and they shared a look.

"Be on your guard," the Mandalorian told her, voice low.

"Already am," she shot back and nodded at him, heart thudding in her chest. He slowly stopped walking, and following his lead, she did as well.

"Welcome back, Mando," a portly, dark skinned man greeted, voice grave. He stood in front of the stone gate, the _Razor Crest_ visible behind him. "Now put the package down."

More and more bounty hunters are gathering around them, moving quickly and surrounding them. Elana gulped quietly. _This looks bad_ , she thought. The Mandalorian was quiet for a while, making Elana shift, her grip on Bean tightening.

"Step aside," the Mandalorian finally said, voice tense, "I'm going to my ship."

The man scoffed in disbelief, before opening his mouth. "You put the bounty down and _perhaps_ I'll let you pass," he said, and Elana instantly tensed.

_He was lying._ The thought cracked through her like a whip, and she knew deep down that her gut was right.

"They are coming with me," the Mandalorian threatened, voice impossibly low.

At those words, Elana pressed Bean closer to her, willing to shield him with her own body if it came to a shootout. And the probability increased with every second of the tense stand down between the Mandalorian and the dozens of bounty hunters surrounding them.

"If you truly care about them, then the girl will sit down on that speeder," the man pointed to one on the right of Elana, "and we'll discuss terms."

Elana clenched her jaw, trying to suppress her shaking. The R3-unit on the speeder beeped encouragingly, turning its head towards them.

"How do I know I can trust you?" The question of the Mandalorian hung in the air, and the tension in the square was becoming unbearably uncomfortable. Her heart was pounding fast, beating erratically against her chest, and she could not help how her hands shook, the tips feeling icy and numb from fear.

"Because I'm your only hope," the man said.

The Mandalorian hesitated.

Then, he tilted his helmet down to Elana. "Do as he says," he told her loudly, and then added an "I'm thinking" under his breath.

She could not stop her tiny hysterical scoff, and murmured "I do hope you have a plan."

The Mandalorian slowly moved behind her, nudging them towards the aforementioned speeder.

"What's the plan?" Elana murmured, not moving her lips, and stared at the droid in front of her, trying to ignore the bounty hunters that surrounded them, weapons trained on them and ready to fire. The Mandalorian huffed, a tiny sound that barely escaped the modulator, "Brace yourself."

It was quiet for a few seconds.

Then the Mandalorian _moved_.

A shot rang out behind her, fired by the armoured bounty hunter, and in the same second, he grabbed her, pulled her against his body and _launched_ himself upwards.

The world went spinning, and the next thing Elana knew was that she was lying in the speeder cart, between the cargo, on top of the bounty hunter, the air knocked out of her lungs with the impact.

He quickly shoved her off, starting to fire at the other hunters, and she hunched down, using her body as a shield for Bean.

"Drive!" The Mandalorian growled at the R3-unit, and it whirred unhappily. At that, he pulled a blaster and pointed it at the droid, who quickly followed his " _Drive!_ ".

The speeder starts moving down the street quickly while blaster fire and yells fill the air, happening too quickly for Elana to process every shot and every instance the Mandalorian fires back. The only thing Elana did was keeping her head down, keeping out of the way, letting the Mandalorian do his job while her mind was a steady stream of curses.

Before she knew it, a flash of sparks rained down onto her, something exploding right in front of the cart. Elana curled into herself, shielding Bean and felt pricks on her skin where the sparks grazed her side.

With a crash, the speeder rammed into something that made the whole surface they were lying on rumble and bump. Doing her best to shield Bean from every rattle the speeder gave, Elana realized that the R3-unit had been shot, rendering it useless, powering down with a fizzle.

"Mandalorian!" Elana whispered in panic, and he simply grunted, taking the rifle off his back in a practised and fluid motion.

"Stay calm," he instructed before propping the blaster end up on one of the crates.

The already familiar whirr of the rifle priming to disintegrate was music to Elana's ears, and she could not help the smile that twitched across her face when the first shot was fired. The burst and the echoing scream of the disintegrated hunter rippled across the entire square, the sound making shivers run down her back and goosebumps spread across her skin.

Another shot, and the bounty hunters on the square started to clamour away, trying to find cover, yells and grunts filling the air.

She looked up to the Mandalorian as he placed another bolt into the rifle, securing it with a click, and disintegrated the third unfortunate one. Readying herself for the sound of the fourth shot, Elana was surprised that it never came.

The Mandalorian was scanning the square subtly, she was only able to see his movements because her head was literally inches away from his shoulder.

"That's one impressive weapon," the portly man from before called out, his voice sounding surprisingly unaffected for the slaughter that just happened.

"Here's what I'm gonna do," The Mandalorian announced, raising his voice so everyone in the square could hear it, "I'm gonna walk to my ship, with _both of them_ , and you're gonna let it happen."

The audible threat in his voice made Elana flinch back instinctively, and only after a split second of panic she could calm herself down. _The Mandalorian was not threatening her or Bean_ , Elana tried to reassure herself, but it was hard considering that everytime she had heard the tone the Mandalorian was using right now, she had been on the receiving end of either his gaze or his blaster.

"Nah," the other man scoffed, voice full of contempt, "How about this: _we_ take the kid and its caretaker."

Elana noticed someone approaching from right behind them, and tapped the Mandlorian's pauldron softly, pointing at them when he turned around to her.

"And if you try to stop us," the man continued, "we kill you and we strip your body for parts."

The Mandalorian kicked back violently, and used the momentum to rear his rifle up, giving that bounty hunter an electric shock. Elana ducked her head down as more shots rang out, and felt Bean starting to wriggle slightly beneath her.

_Bean!_ Elana basically yelled across their bond, relief and fear coursing along it. Relief for him feeling fine, the bond becoming clearer by the minute. Fear for him waking up in the midst of a shootout, him being alright but it will not matter anyways since their survival chances were dropping by the second.

The Mandalorian grunted as he triggered the flamethrower on his vambrace, the roaring flames illuminating the darkening square, the sunlight on Nevarro slowly dwindling. It held the other bounty hunters, exclaiming in fear, back for a few seconds, but eventually, it sputtered, and went out.

With a grunt, the Mandalorian dropped onto his elbows, breathing hard.

They were pinned down, Elana realised, heart dropping, the last bit of hope that had been shimmering inside fading.

He moved his body over hers, shielding her and Bean with his armour, a few shots glancing off the beskar as he held himself up on his elbows.

"I'm sorry," he grunted, his voice crackling through his modulator, sounding genuine, "I'm sorry for this."

Elana stared up at his helmet, at the T-visor, inches away from her face, and felt strangely empty.

It should not matter that he is sorry. But it does.

For a few seconds, Elana did not see the bounty hunter that had dragged them through the deserts of Arvala-7. Not the cruel man who had threatened them and killed without a thought, handed them over to the Imperials for a camtono of beskar that currently adorned his body.

She saw the man who had always handled Bean delicately even when he did not have to, the one who had seemed surprised at her when she was kind to him. The man who had gone back, getting them out of the warehouse, risked his life to try to rescue _them_.

Not only Bean, but both of them.

_He tried his best_ , Elana realised, eyes burning, her heart aching at the thought of Bean getting handed back to the Imperials again. He tried to right a wrong and it was not for lack of effort that it ultimately did not work out in their favour.

"It's okay," she whispered back, feeling tears welling up in her eyes, a humourless smile quirking at the corner of her lips.

Bean made a sound in her arms, and when Elana looked down, she saw his beautiful dark eyes blinking open slowly, twisting his small body to look at the both of them.

"Hey, sweetpea," Elana murmured, eyes fixed on the small green baby, "did you sleep well?"

Bean cooed in response, his brows furrowed as if he knew that something was wrong.

"I'm sorry," the Mandalorian repeated, voice sounding wrecked amongst the gunfire surrounding them.

A shot rang out, but it sounded different. The Mandalorian looked up with a start, and exhaled.

Elana's eyes widened when she spotted figures with jetpacks leaping over the houses that littered the square, laying waste to the assembled bounty hunters.

She felt more than saw how the Mandalorian whipped around, watching them as well.

_They're Mandalorians_ , Elana's mind supplied as soon as she saw the characteristic T-visor helmets on every single one of them, the armour strapped to them, the deathly accuracy in every fired shot. _They're Mandalorians_.

If it was not for her previous experience with a Mandalorian, now would have been the moment where she understood why they were considered the greatest warriors in the galaxy.

The grace and fluidity with which they moved were mesmerising, every shot found its target, every movement was controlled, not a single moment was wasted as they methodically mowed their opponents down. A Mandalorian gunman dropped down next to them, the heavy repeating blaster cannon strapped to his back offering cover for them.

"Get outta here," the heavy infantry grunted gruffly, "We'll hold them off."

The Mandalorian spoke up next to her, voice tense and full of regret. "You're going to have to relocate the covert," he said.

The other Mandalorian just intoned: "This is the Way."

"This is the Way," the Mandalorian replied, nodding at him. The other one nodded back before returning to provide cover with a torrent of red blaster bolts.

The Mandalorian scooped up Bean and tugged her off the cart.

"Come on!" He yelled, and started to run, Bean tucked against his side, his other hand curling around her arm.

Elana stumbled behind him, breaking out into a full sprint as soon as her feet found solid ground, running behind the Mandalorian, towards the _Razor Crest_.

It was so close, and even though she did not want to let herself hope too much, and did not want to jinx the universe, Elana started to feel hope again.

_They could actually pull this off_.

The Mandalorian went up the ramp first, Bean still in his hold, and he let her arm go so she could board the ship easier.

Her legs were like jelly as she pressed her back against the steel walls of the _Razor Crest_ , breathing heavily as the bounty hunter went deeper into the ship.

A figure dropped down from the cockpit, startling her, and before Elana could react, there was a blaster pressed against her head.

The man from the square was standing in front of her, looking down with a big frown.

"Hold it, Mando," he said, voice threatening.

The Mandalorian sharply turned around, his hand on his blaster, shielding Bean with his body.

"I didn't want it to come to this," the man said, teeth gritted as he pressed the blaster into her temple. Elana's whole body was ice cold, and she did not dare to breathe, eyes fixed on the armoured man, heart beating fast. The barrel was warm, previously used, and she knew that the man would not hesitate to pull the trigger again.

"But then _you_ broke the Code!" The accusation hung in the air, the man's voice reverberated through the ship.

Without saying a word, the Mandalorian tilted his head slightly, looking at something next to him, and activated his grappling hook, shooting it into a pipe. With a hiss, white fumes spread out, masking him and Bean from view, disappearing in it. The man got his blaster away from her, and started to shoot into the mist, Elana instinctively throwing herself on the ground, curling into herself, hoping with all her heart that a stray bolt would not hit Bean.

A single shot came back, hitting the man square in the chest with a _ping_ , sending him flying out of the hull of the Razor Crest.

Elana sat up, looking back with wide eyes, barely catching a glance of the man as his body was splayed on the ground.

The Mandalorian called out, voice gruff: "You okay?"

She exhaled shakily, pushing herself up, ignoring her wobbling knees. "Yeah," she breathed, nodding in confirmation.

He made his way over to her, gently pressed Bean into her arms, and then pulled himself up into the cockpit. Elana stared into the hull, fingers tightening around the half conscious Bean, who cooed into her shoulder, and let out a slightly hysterical laugh.

_They actually pulled this off_.

The _Razor Crest_ started whirring, and she slid down on the floor in relief, feeling as the ship lifted into the air.

_They actually made it._.

Bean made a coo against her, and wriggled slightly.

"Hey, Bean," Elana whispered to him, a smile breaking out on her face, "We're away from them."

Bean babbled at her, a smile on his tiny face as well, and he tried to free himself from the blanket he was bundled in.

Elana laughed, and helped him, his ears flopping up as he raised them highly, finally freed from the confines of the musty blanket. She unwrapped him and tossed that piece of fabric as far as she could, pressing her forehead against Bean's.

"We made it," she said, and could not help her elated giggle, "Bean, we actually made it!"

He cooed, and scrunched his nose up in the most adorable way Elana had ever seen, giggling as well.

Giving him a big smile, she pressed a kiss against his face, then another, until she was peppering him with kisses while he squealed under her, wriggling happily.

After a while, where they simply pressed their foreheads against one another, feeling each other through the bond, Bean started to point upwards, towards the cockpit. Elana raised an eyebrow at him.

"You want to say thank you?"

Bean nodded enthusiastically, and with a sigh and a fond smile, she climbed up the ladder a bit with him in her arm. Elana set him down safely onto the floor above her, and pulled the rest of her into the cockpit while Bean was already waddling towards the Mandalorian. He was sitting in the pilot's seat, the viewport in front of them displaying beautiful clouds illuminated by the sunrise behind them.

"I gotta get one of those," the Mandalorian said, looking at something out of the viewport, and Elana spotted another Mandalorian with a jetpack disappearing into the clouds. Bean waddled closer, and with amusement she saw how he was headed towards the lever with the silver head instead.

The Mandalorian simply tilted his head, looking down, reached out and unscrewed the head, dropping the silver ball into Bean's waiting hands, and the baby giggled in delight. The bounty hunter then turned his head towards her, and they exchanged a look. Even with the impassive mask, he seemed to be apologising. Elana clenched her jaw, and steeled her eyes.

_We will talk about this_ , she promised herself, and then broke eye contact to watch Bean chewing on the lever, unable to hide the smile at the baby's action.

With a sigh, the Mandalorian turned around again, and maneuvered the ship into the right orbit to make the jump into hyperspace.

~ 

They were in hyperspace for a few minutes, looking at the swirl of blue and white and every shade in between, before Elana got Bean, and dropped down into the hull. She wanted a few moments to simply _think_ , to replay everything that had happened, give her a minute to process everything.

She opened the cubicle on the right side of the ship with a push of the button, placed Bean into it, the little one instantly moving towards the back, exploring the space. Elana pushed herself up, sat in the opening, and started to lay out her arguments in her head, preparing for and constructing a way how she would confront him. Her mind was whirling in circles like hyperspace. Thoughts and fragments of memories, words, action of the Mandalorian swirling like the warp of time and space around the ship.

After a while, her peace was disrupted by hearing the bounty hunter move, pressing several buttons before the autopilot activated with a loud whirr. Elana stared at the Mandalorian as he dropped down from the cockpit with a *thud*, her head full of questions.

Bean had taken a nap from the excitement, and it turned into sleep, and he was snoring quietly, tangled up in his blanket, lying on his belly in the cubicle. The Mandalorian turned around from the ladder and met her gaze. If she had to guess, his posture seemed almost… defensive.

She continued staring at him, not knowing what to do or what to say, heart clenching in her chest as she nervously scratched at the pad of her thumb. Elana was left flailing in the unknown, every factor constantly changing and the number of variables incomprehensible.

"Are you injured?"

The question from the Mandalorian was hesitant, and her gaze dropped to where his fingers were slightly fidgeting.

"A bit," Elana answered, eyes narrowed at him.

She was littered in bruises and scrapes, the skin around her wrists still rubbed raw and bleeding, and she would not be surprised if it scarred. Her head was still throbbing and phantom tendrils from the effects of the strange liquid were coming in waves.

"I have some bacta," he offered, sounding terribly awkward. Elana almost raised an eyebrow but fought against that urge, and nodded hesitantly instead of snapping at him. There was no need for a screaming match right now.

The Mandalorian moved quickly, making his way to some kind of supply crate before handing her a small jar filled with the gooey substance. "I don't have much, but here," he said, and she took the jar, carefully not touching his gloved fingers.

"Thank you," Elana whispered, giving him a tiny nod.

She turned around in her seat, to Bean, who was snoozing peacefully in the open cubicle, blanket wrapped haphazardly around his legs, limbs sprawled around. How someone so small could take up so much space was still beyond her.

Without conscious input, Elana smiled softly at the small one and carefully tucked the blanket into his sides to keep him warm, not bothering to rewrap Bean right now.

"Keep an eye on him?" Elana requested at the Mandalorian, looking over her shoulder to throw a glance at the bounty hunter.

It was a temporary peace offering, and he knew it.

"Sure," he exhaled, and from the way his shoulder slightly slumped, Elana thought that he almost looked _relieved_.

With a final look, she got down, the Mandalorian stepping back to give her space, Elana walked the few steps into the fresher, and shut the door with a _click_. Leaning her forehead against the cool surface, she exhaled, breath shaky, thoughts racing at hyper speed.

_Why?_

The big question.

_Why_ had he changed his mind?

Why did he come back for them?

Why did he risk his life to save them?

Why were they here?

And most importantly, what will happen now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!


	10. The Medcenter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their first conversation about what happened. A deal. Some first time parenting together thrown into the mix

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, hello my friends!! I am overwhelmed by all of the feedback and responses I´ve received, and I want to thank you SO MUCH for it. It makes me smile so much and every I get a mail it brightens my whole day. You are all amazing and I am SO grateful to you.
> 
> Warnings: descriptions/treatment of wounds, allusion/inquiry about sexual assault, (past) child abuse, sick and distressed child, hospitals (please let me know if I missed something)

They were in hyperspace, moving towards some planet that the Mandalorian was steering the Razor Crest to. Elana stood in front of the mirror, examining the bruises on her face and arms, covering her skin, and tried to make sense of everything.

_Facts first._

She and Bean were captured by the Mandalorian on Arvala-7. Bean was the actual bounty, for which he got a camtono of beskar. He took the payment and got himself a whole new armour made with that beskar. The Mandalorian risked his life to go back and get them away from the Imperials he had originally handed them to.

_Speculations second._

The Mandalorian seemed to have taken a liking to them, in some way or another. He also seemed to have regretted giving them away, going to great lengths to rectify that action. He had risked everything in his job in order to rescue them, and now all three of them were probably wanted by the Guild.

_Coming to a conclusion._

The Mandalorian, Bean and Elana were stuck together for an indeterminate amount of time, and even though she wanted nothing more than to never see that blasted beskar helmet again, she had to be realistic. If not for her own life, then for Bean's.

Elana knew that she was not suitable to protect Bean. She could not fight, she had nowhere to go, and no one who could help her. The only thing she _would_ be able to do was to pick up jobs and earn enough credits to keep them afloat. But that was something that she could only consider to do for the rest of her life if there was not the issue with Bean being wanted by remnants of the Empire.

Thus, their best chance was, once again, staying with the Mandalorian.

Elana sighed deeply, staring at herself in the mirror. The bruise on her cheek where the stormtrooper had hit her was deep purple, the skin bloody. There were small scrapes all across her face, hopefully they would heal over the next few days. Her skin looked pale, the shadows underneath her eyes almost as dark as the bruises on her face. Gently using the water in the sink to wash away the grime on her face, Elana rubbed the dried and crusty flakes of blood out of her hair line, running her hands carefully through the tangles in her dark strands when she was finished. When she was satisfied with how her wounds were relatively clean, she unscrewed the bacta jar and smeared the cool substance onto her face and her wrists, careful with the sensitive skin. After she was finished, she stepped out of the fresher and saw the Mandalorian sitting on a crate, methodically cleaning one of his blasters. He looked up, and she squared her jaw.

"I think we need to talk," she said, shoulders tense.

The Mandalorian nodded.

"I don't think that I need to tell you what I think of your actions," Elana started off, picking her words carefully, "And you can obviously guess at what happened in that warehouse."

He met her gaze through that impassive beskar helmet, and she felt herself becoming furious.

"Why?" Elana did not care that she had asked this already. She wanted to hear it when he was not trying to constantly brush her off. The Mandalorian was quiet for a long time. "Is this because you want-- my offer?" Her mouth tasted like ash, jaw clenching at the thought of him cashing in the favour of yesterday.

His head whipped up. "No," he said quickly, voice hoarse, "Never that." He sounded so earnest that a part inside her relaxed, but she still could not help but stay wary, arms crossed in front of her chest defensively. "The job had felt off from the beginning," the Mandalorian sighed, a slight shift in his posture the only indicator for Elana that he was uncomfortable. "And when I saw that the bounty was the baby--"

Elana interrupted him, "You did not seem to mind when you dragged us away."

He was quiet again.

"I don't want a full on apology, Mandalorian, though Maker knows we deserve it," she spat, "I want to know if you will give us away again."

"Not to them," he said, voice low.

Elana scoffed slightly. "What a relief."

"I went back because it was wrong. The job, the payment, the bounty were all wrong. I _had_ to go back."

Stepping a bit closer to him, staring down into where his eyes should be, she started to speak, fury burning in her. "You owe me, Mandalorian," she said quietly.

"If you want to be specific, it was _me_ who saved both of you," he pointed out weakly, voice tense.

"Well, think again, tin can, _whose_ fault was it that we needed to be saved?" Elana snarled, "It would have been something entirely different if you would have only turned _me_ in."

His helmet tilted up.

"If it was only me, an adult, it would have been something entirely different," she repeated, "But the actual bounty was _Bean_. A _baby_."

The Mandalorian dropped his head down, and she hoped with all her heart that it was shame that crushed on him. She hoped that it would haunt him forever.

"So, I want a deal for you to make up to this." Elana hesitated at that, and turned the points, the _logical_ points over in her head, chewing on her lip. "Isn't there a saying about you bounty hunters? You make the best deal for yourself and survive? Take what you can and make the best out of it?"

The Mandalorian nodded, voice grave, "Yes."

"I'm aware that I am not a fighter," Elana started off, "I am simply a hired caretaker, nothing more. But the only thing I can say about me, that I'm _good_ at? I am a _damn good_ caretaker for that baby." She pointed at the sleeping Bean. "Do you know how abused and neglected that child was when I arrived on Arvala-7? How quick he latched onto me because I would _hug_ him? I will not let him fall into the hands of the Empire because that, _that_ exact thing will happen again."

Elana breathed hard, tears starting to gather in her eyes, but she fought furiously against them. "Bean deserves a childhood, all right? He deserves to have his parents back, deserves to grow up without abuse, deserves to be on his home planet, wherever that is! But I cannot give it back to him. So the only thing I can give him is my _love_ , and I will _die_ before letting Bean become that scared child again. He has already seen too much violence in his life," Elana's voice was becoming thick now, the words coming out raw and jagged, pushed out between shuddering breaths as she tried her best to not simply fall apart in front of the Mandalorian.

Choking off a sob, she pressed a palm onto her face, turning away slightly from the bounty hunter who was watching her silently. "I'm sorry, I--" Elana automatically started to apologise for her outburst, before cutting herself off, squaring her shoulders. She did not owe him _anything_ , she thought viciously, eyes burning, and she gritted her jaw, taking a deep breath to stabilise herself.

"Ever since we left the encampment, we've been dragged around, barked orders at, and I am _tired_ of feeling helpless and looked down upon. So, I want a deal," Elana said, going back to her original point, "I want you to protect us until that Empire business is taken care of." Turning sharply to face him, she cut off what she assumed was protest, "You're a good fighter. You have a ship, you have weapons. And you owe us, both of us," Elana enunciated, "Get us onto some planet, help us find a way to get rid of the bounty on Bean, and then you can _kark off_ again to wherever it is that you came from."

Staring straight at his visor, she could not help her tiny sneer as she gestured at his armour. "I think you've received enough payment to make us worth your while." He said nothing, only clenched his hands into fists.

" _Make the best deal_ , right?" Elana said, knowing that she was looking right into his eyes, "Well, Mandalorian. I'm making the best out of my situation. Looks like my best deal is _you_."

The Mandalorian exhaled, his modulator crackling. Then, he replied, voice impossibly low: " _Deal._ "

They stared at each other, neither of them willing to look away first, fists clenched at their sides, and only the sound of Bean stirring made them break eye contact.

The little baby sat up, big ears backlit by the light in the cubicle as he frowned at them. With horror, Elana watched as his face scrunched up, and he started to cry, ears almost grazing the floor for how low they hung. Hurrying over to him, leaning into the cubicle and putting him in her arms, Elana shushed him gently, swaying from side to side. All she felt from him was _fear_ , sharp and sour, and images started to flicker across the bond. Of the doctor, of Elana being dragged away, of a huge needle poking into his side, him thrashing around until it got dark.

"Shavit," she whispered, before straightening and frantically pushing up the little one's robe, " _Shavit!_ "

There was an injection point right above his elbow, the flesh swollen, a slightly darker shade than his surrounding skin, the band-aid on it loose from him squirming around.

"Get bacta," Elana heard herself say, voice shaking, "get bacta, _now_."

She dimly realized how the Mandalorian sprung into action, but she was occupied with checking Bean for other injuries, aware of the way he still sniffled and curled into himself. Tracing her fingers over him gently, Elana did her best to keep thinking happy thoughts at Bean, trying to calm him some.

"Mwa," Bean cooed, looking up tearfully, button nose twitching, and he clutched at her arms. She could feel that it was not something that actually _hurt_ him. It was not an open wound, but it still stung a bit, which made him panic. Elana sighed in relief when it became clear that he was more scared that it would happen again than that he actually felt pain.

"Oh, honey," she murmured at him, "you're such a brave little boy, aren't you?"

The bacta jar appeared in her peripheral sight, and she grabbed at it, unscrewing it as fast as she could. Feeling the Mandalorian hover behind her, she ignored him, and started to carefully peel away the other band-aid. "Get new ones, please," she said on autopilot, fingers already covered in bacta, spreading it out on the green skin of the baby, carefully rubbing it in. Bean had not stopped sniffing, but he was watching her with big eyes now, quieter than before.

_He was still scared._

"We're away from that place, okay, honey?" Elana started to say, hoping that her voice would soothe him some, "That nasty doctor can't poke you again, all right?" Huffing out a watery chuckle as he grabbed her arm and pressed his face into it, Elana traced his ears gently with her fingers.

Bandages appeared, and she nodded in thanks without taking her eyes off Bean. Quickly wrapping the wound up, she pressed a peck against the bandaged spot, and smiled at Bean, unable to hide how brittle it was. "You're all fixed up now, sweetpea," Elana said, and pulled his robes down again, scooping him up into her arms, "You don't have to be scared, okay?"

Careful of his arm, she positioned him so Bean could lay his head on her shoulder, a hand on his back, backing away from the Mandalorian who was still hovering behind them. "Thank you," she told the bounty hunter, her cheek pressed into the top of Bean's wrinkled head. Bean started to sniffle and whimper again, and shook, fear still in his limbs and lingering in his head.

"You're all right, honey," Elana told him, whispering it into his large ears, pressing kisses wherever she could reach, while never stopping swaying comfortingly.

Turning to look at the Mandalorian, she sighed deeply.

"I still have things I've got to say," Elana said quietly, mindful of Bean, "There are things that still need to be addressed."

He nodded. "That's understandable," he said, his voice rough.

Elana continued: "If we are going to be travelling together until we're on a safe planet, I need boundaries. There will be some general rules we need to establish otherwise this won't work."

"Of course," he agreed, voice so soft she had difficulties picking it up through the crackle of the modulator.

"I'm not looking for a fight, and I do not want to associate with you longer than I have to, and I'm pretty sure that the feeling is mutual," Elana said quietly, looking at the Mandalorian. "I'm only doing this for him," she added, bopping Bean gently for emphasis, and he nodded.

"Can I help?" The Mandalorian asked, surprising her. She blinked in bewilderment. "Uh, if you could set up the cot…?"

If there was a record for how quick a Mandalorian got the cot propped up for them, then he probably just broke it. As soon as he was finished, he pulled himself up in the cockpit with a "Be right back".

When Elana settled down on the cot, the Mandalorian reappeared, dropped down from above and landed quietly. There were dark blankets tucked underneath his arm, and he handed them to her.

"For Bean," he said, and she took them, biting her lips in uncertainty and looked away.

"If there is something like a crate or anything we can use as a makeshift pram? Do you have anything like that?"

"Wait," was all he said, before he moved around her, grabbed the smallest crate in the hull, and took out the tools that were in there before. Putting those into another crate, he presented it to her.

She took it, put it on the floor, and started to methodically pad it with the blanket. Using the leftover flaps to tuck Bean in, she set the crate right next to the cot, and turned to the Mandalorian.

"Would it be all right if we could get to a market in the next few days?" Elana asked before hesitating, "There are things that Bean would need, and I'm not sure if the _Crest_ has all of them."

The Mandalorian nodded. "Sure," he said.

Bean was starting to slip into sleep now, but some sniffles still escaped him, and it was with a heavy heart that Elana traced his little face with a careful finger, using the bond to wrap him in a bundle of warmth, able to draw actual comfort out of her knowledge that they were safe now. They were actually _safe_ for the moment. The bounty hunter hovered around in her peripheral vision, and Elana turned around, facing him, Bean's eyes now closed and his breaths even. The two of them stared at each other for a moment.

Elana hesitated, before adding what was lingering in her mind, resting on the tip of her tongue. "Thank you," she whispered, blinking fast as she felt herself tearing up again, "Thank you for coming back for us."

His head whipped up, body language showing his incredulity. It was quiet between them, and even though Elana did not regret her words, for he actually deserved the thanks, since he had risked everything by rescuing them, and it could not be taken back now. The words hung in the air, fragile like a silk thread, exposing more of Elana than she would have liked.

"... You're welcome," the Mandalorian finally said, and she was astonished at how _wrecked_ he sounded. Maybe he truly regretted it. Maybe it was eating him up inside. A part of her wished for it. Another part was too tired to care.

"I think I'll get some sleep now," she mumbled, leaning against the edge of the cot, "That stuff from before... I don't know what it was."

"I can take you to a medcenter if you want to," the Mandalorian offered quietly, "Then you can also get a checkup for Bean."

Elana nodded, resisting the urge to sigh heavily. "That would be brilliant," she heard herself say, tilting her face so she could look him in the eyes.

"I'm sorry," he then said, before he dropped to one knee, head lowered while Elana stared at him in astonishment, eyes wide, "For everything. For how I treated you." The voice of the Mandalorian was so soft that she had difficulty picking out the words, but they struck something in her that she had no time to analyse while he was in front of her.

"I don't deserve forgiveness," he continued, words coming out haltingly, the edges jagged, "What I did on Arvala-7-- on Nevarro-- there are no excuses. But I'm sorry." His head was still lowered, the sound crackled through the modulator, and she could not decipher if it was his voice or his vocal filter that made it crack like that, "I'm sorry."

Elana felt her bottom lip wobble, and with horror she realised that her eyes were stinging with tears. Squeezing her eyes shut, she took a deep breath, and clenched her fists, feeling her nails dig into her palms. "We can talk about this tomorrow," she managed, voice thick, "I can't-- I can't think right now."

"All right," he whispered, "Take your time."

Elana swallowed and looked away, heart clenching and she felt as if she could not breathe properly.

The Mandalorian said nothing, just nodded once, before standing up stiffly. As he lingered for a moment, she could hear the leather gloves creak, him flexing his fingers, but then he left without a word, pulling himself up into the cockpit.

Elana stared behind him, feeling uncomfortably, inexplicably conflicted. She sat down on the cot, the baby starting to snore quietly, and just closed her eyes, resting them for a bit. Whatever it was that the Imperials had given her was still in her system, but other than sleepiness and limbs that were starting to become impossibly heavy, nothing seemed to be out of place. She could only hope that it would be the same with Bean, that whatever they had injected him with would not make him sick afterwards. It was still too early to see if it had any lasting effects on the baby. Elana found the backpack with her clothes where she had put it last, luckily having forgotten to take it when they arrived on Nevarro. After tugging out a comparatively clean set of loose clothes and putting it on, she laid down on the cot and pulled the blanket over herself. It was not long until she fell asleep, but the apology of the Mandalorian rattled in her brain for as long as she was conscious.

~

Something was making noises next to her, waking her up. Elana blinked groggily, turning her head towards the noise. It was Bean, she realised, standing in the crate in front of her, arms outstretched towards her.

"Honey?" Elana whispered, and the baby scuttled closer. Bean gave a low whine, and she frowned, sleepy. Reaching out with an arm, she pulled him onto her cot, letting him crawl into her side. He snuggled into her shirt, and whined again, sounding pitiful. "Honey," she murmured, "what's wrong?"

When Bean climbed up on her chest, and pressed his face into her neck, she was instantly wide awake.

_He was burning up._

"Bean?" Elana asked, heart suddenly pounding in her chest, "Oh no."

Carefully sitting up, a hand on his back to support him, she inspected the little child. Elana felt her heart drop as she looked at his glassy eyes and droopy ears, the usual green colour of his face looking faded. The tips of his ears, where the skin was usually pale pink, was a slight yellow instead. Across the bond she could feel him having a headache and a hurting tummy.

"Baby, sweetpea," she whispered, tilting him against her chest, slightly bouncing him, hand splayed across his back. Pressing his nose into her collarbone, he whined again, and Elana looked up, up to the ladder leading to the cockpit.

_Should she?_

If Bean's temperature rose too high, it could be dangerous for him, and with how bad he looked and felt over the bond, it would not be long until he needed immediate medical attention. _Medical attention she could not give him._

Searching her feelings, knowing that she did not have any supplies, she felt her heart starting to race. Should she ask the Mandalorian? Listening to the child's whimpers, her decision was quickly made. Not even bothering to make herself more presentable, she clutched Bean close to her and climbed up the ladder with one hand. Walking around the opening, barely visible in the dim orange emergency light, towards the captain's quarters, she stood in front of the closed door. Elana hesitated again, staring at the grey durasteel.

Even though there was not any reason _now_ to fear him, it was basically hard wired into her at this point. Rationally she knew that he would not go through all the trouble to rescue them and then kill them now, but emotionally she was still terrified of the bounty hunter, no matter if she talked back sometimes or put on a brave face.

But when she felt Bean starting to cry into her, little body trembling, she knocked resolutely at the surface. It was quiet at first, so she knocked again. Recalling how he had slammed her into the ground when she had tried to lift his helmet on Arvala-7, she figured that she should not barge into his quarters where he was likely sleeping without it.

"What?" The Mandalorian's voice sounded from inside, slurred from sleep.

She knocked again, more urgently, biting her lip as she shifted the baby in her arms. "Mandalorian?" Elana asked, face close to the door as she tried to listen to what was happening inside the room.

There was a low groan and some mutterings before steps sounded towards the door. When it opened with a hiss, Elana flinched back when the helmet basically appeared inches away from her face, the Mandalorian hunched down to stare at her smaller frame.

Even without the full beskar armour strapped to him, he had the same commanding presence, and his gloves and boots were clearly tugged on while he was half asleep, tiny bits of skin poking out here and there. "What is it?" he asked, stance intimidating but his voice soft.

"I need your help," Elana said, staring imploringly at the visor, "Bean is burning up."

It was as if a switch was turned, and his scrutiny shifted to the small child whose face was buried in her shoulder, and he gave off a pained whine just in that second. The Mandalorian's posture loosened some, even if the tension was still thick enough to cut with a knife.

"What's wrong with him?" The Mandalorian inquired, still sounding a bit rough from sleep.

"He has a fever, and he's in pain. I think whatever the Imperials have given him is making him sick," she said, shifting Bean up on her body again as he wriggled, unsatisfied with that position. Looking down at him in worry, she noted that his eyes were brimming with tears, and his face started to scrunch up, a pathetic wail tearing out of his little lungs.

"Do you have a medpack? A fever shot?" Elana asked the Mandalorian who was leaning in the door, watching them, clearly tense and uncomfortable.

He was quiet, the only sound between them Bean's sobs, before he sighed. "Let me check," the bounty hunter said, pushing past her, and starting to climb down into the hull of the ship. Elana stayed where she was, swaying on the spot, whispering and humming into Bean's petal soft ears. She gently rubbed his back as he cried, becoming louder by the second. "Oh, honey," she whispered, pressing a kiss on top of his forehead, biting her lip anxiously.

He sobbed harder, pressing his face into her shoulder while she did her best to stroke him across the back, hoping that the gesture would comfort him some. After a few unbearable minutes, the Mandalorian appeared again, pulling himself up to their level.

"I only have a med pack for open wounds," he said, voice tense.

Elana closed her eyes, and exhaled in dismay. "Shavit," she muttered, a frown on her face.

Studying her, the Mandalorian tilted his head, and sighed deeply. "Hold onto him," came from him, and he moved into the cockpit, the door opening with a hiss. She trailed after him, confused, feeling the wet patch in her shirt where Bean's face was buried growing. The pain that was projected over the bond did nothing but to make her more anxious.

The Mandalorian sat down in the pilot's seat and started pushing buttons, reaching up to flick some switches. Continuing rocking Bean, she sat down in the left seat, holding on as they dropped out of hyperspace, the sudden motion making Bean cry out. The Mandalorian did not waste a moment, looking at the navigation system, and punched in some coordinates.

"I'm taking you to a medcenter," he said, voice low, skillfully swerving the ship around to another direction, and entering hyperspace once again.

At the shift in the G-force Bean whimpered, and Elana held him close, cradling the back of his head as she gently positioned it onto her shoulder. As soon as the ship was stable, the Mandalorian stood up and disappeared again, dropping down into the hull with a loud bang. Looking after him, the twist of her body made Bean unhappy, so she quickly turned back, humming gently at him. He was exhausted but still kept crying, feeling too uncomfortable to rest.

_Sleep_ , she told him over the bond, but he whined in protest, the unnatural warmth making him feel dizzy. _Sleep_ , Elana repeated again, more firmly, and to her surprise, he actually fell asleep. When the Mandalorian climbed up again, he handed her an ice pack wrapped in a washcloth, and she accepted thankfully, gently pressing it against the burning forehead of the little child.

Both of them looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms, heartbreakingly pale.

"We'll be at a medcenter soon," the Mandalorian said quietly, and she looked up, right into his visor, and clenched her jaw.

"Okay," she whispered, giving him a serious nod. Only when he stepped away and sat down into the pilot's seat she realized how close he had been, and her hold on Bean tightened.

"Drop out of hyperspace in fifteen minutes," he announced after a while of staring at the navicomputer, pressing some buttons, "Put on some warmer clothes."

With those words, he stood up, and made his way into the captain's quarters, presumably to strap his armour on. It was terrifying how he still looked as broad and tall without the armour as with it. Getting down into the hull carefully, and placing Bean into the pram for the time being, she quickly braided her hair, keeping it out of the way, putting on actual clothes. As she tied the laces on her boots, Bean started to cry again, not yet waking up but right before it. Scooping him up, she climbed into the cockpit and settled into the left seat again, rocking Bean while she hummed a low tune.

The Mandalorian appeared after a while, his new shiny beskar armour glinting in the light, and he carefully approached them, checking on Bean from where he was resting his head on her shoulder. It was quiet for a beat. "He looks a little pale," the Mandalorian pointed out, sounding tense, "Has he showed other worse symptoms yet?"

"No," she whispered, eyes on the worrying yellow-looking baby, "I hope it stays that way."

Dropping out of hyperspace, a station appeared in front of them, and she let out a sigh of relief, noticing that there was not too much traffic. The less people there are, the less likely that there are other bounty hunters. Even though it had not even been a few hours since Nevarro, she did not think that it was paranoid to already look for potential hunters after Bean, and she was sure that the Mandalorian would agree if she asked him.

He maneuvered the ship into the right lanes; it did not take long until the Razor Crest was landed safely.

"Come on," the Mandalorian said, powered the ship off, and turned towards her. Moving quickly, he went past her, and was already halfway down the ladder when she stood up. Reaching his arms up at her, he motioned for Elana to reach Bean to him. She raised a brow at the Mandalorian.

"Give him to me," he said, and motioned again. Hesitantly, she extracted Bean from her shirt, and reached him down, the Mandalorian gently wrapping his hands around the baby, holding him securely. As she descended the ladder, he held Bean in his arms, and the little one whined, pressing his face against the beskar plate.

An idea came to her. "Use your armour to cool him down some," she told him, quickly grabbing a satchel, stuffed a blanket and the water bottle into it, "Do you have credits with you?"

"Yes," he answered, looking a bit bewildered with the baby in his arms, a cheek smushed against his chestplate. Elana nodded determinedly, and pressed the button to lower the side ramp. "Let's go," she said.

They quickly left the ship, and went into an open foyer, the cold light of the sterile place uninviting. Making a straight line to the receptionist's desk, she stopped in front of it. A Cerean male held up a finger at her, gesturing for her to wait with a small perfunctory smile, and finished up his call. "Good day, welcome to Naamel medcenter, how can I help you?" His tone was bored, and he did not even look up.

"We have a sick child," Elana said, "He has had a fever for a few hours now."

"A nurse will come to you in a moment, please go to the waiting room down the hallway, and register yourself."

The Mandalorian stepped closer, and stared down at the receptionist. "No identification," he said. The Cerean looked up, and then did a double take, eyes widening at the sight of the warrior.

"Of course, sir," he was quick to stammer, his eyes darting between the Mandalorian, Bean and her, and he pressed a button on his desk connected to a visible comlink.

"We have a high priority case, please get to it as soon as possible," he spoke into it, before giving them a nervous smile and pointed towards the room they were supposed to wait in. The Mandalorian stalked past the desk, Bean in his arms, and Elana was quick to follow after she shot a polite parting nod at the receptionist.

"That was the fastest response I've ever seen at a medcenter," Elana told him as she caught up to him, a slightly wry smile on her face.

The Mandalorian huffed. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Mwa," Bean said, stretching out a hand towards her as they entered the empty waiting room. Elana stepped close to the Mandalorian, both of them working together in transferring the baby from his arms into hers. In no time at all Bean was resting his head on her shoulder again, a big frown on his face, eyes teary, "Eh?"

"It won't take long now, okay?" Elana reassured him, patting him on his back, "A few minutes at most, sweetpea."

The Mandalorian was tense, and every time someone walked past the room his hand twitched towards his weapon holster.

"Keep your hand off your blaster, for Maker's sake," Elana hissed at him through clenched teeth, his behaviour setting her off, pacing around the sterile room. The only reprieve for the cold white paint was a potted plant in one corner and a framed painting of an underwater garden on the wall.

"No," the Mandalorian told her, fingers curling around the weapon. Elana took a deep breath in annoyance and glared at him.

"This is a medcenter, so: Keep your hands _off_."

"He's still being hunted," he said, looking at her.

"Bean getting treated is more important now, and I don't think the staff would treat him if you insist on being trigger happy," Elana said, voice dry. As if to help her point, Bean sobbed loudly, and she started rocking him gently again, pressing kisses against his forehead, not liking how yellow he looked _at all_. "Honey, just a bit, okay? You're such a strong baby," she told him, swaying from side to side, "We're gonna get you fixed up in no time at all."

"Mwa," he said, burying his button nose into her soaked shirt.

A Mirilian nurse came in, a med droid on her heels. The Mandalorian tensed instantly. "No droids," he told the nurse without preamble, and Elana's head whipped around to him. _Was he being serious?_ Not only was that rude, but they could not afford being difficult. The nurse stared at him, clearly tired from a long day and dealing with difficult patients.

"Look, sir," she said, sighing heavily and kneading between her eyes, "We are understaffed as hell, and if you want a check in, you'll have to accept the droid."

Elana stepped closer to him, face set in a frown.

"We are not leaving until Bean gets treated," she hissed at the Mandalorian, before pushing past him and talking to the nurse herself, effectively ignoring him.

"Excuse him, miss," Elana said, "We need a check up, and something to lower his fever, I'm worried at how fast he got this bad."

The urgent words were underlined by Bean whining and starting to wail again, his sobs heartbreaking.

The Mirilian raised a brow at the Mandalorian, disapproval in her eyes. "I mean no disrespect, sir, but you're in no position to be picky about the staff. If your child looks as bad as this, I would suggest listening to your wife and letting a droid handle this."

"She's not my wi--" The Mandalorian started to say, while at the same time Elana injected: "He's not my husba--"

The nurse raised a brow, and held up a hand. "That's unimportant. You have a sick child, so let Bee-Two take a look at the baby."

Elana gave the Mandalorian a nasty look. "Yeah," she drawled, voice venomous, "Let the droid look at him _now_."

He sighed heavily. Bean was still crying.

"Ma'am, please go down that hallway, Bee-Two will accompany you to room A4," the nurse directed and turned around, hurrying to another patient.

Elana smiled at the med droid. "Thank you very much," she said, ignoring the annoyed huff of the Mandalorian.

"Please follow me," Bee-Two said, and started to walk towards the room the nurse had assigned them to.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Elana asked the Mandalorian, brows furrowed and daggers in her eyes.

"I don't like droids," was his short answer.

Elana scoffed. "Yeah, kriff. I can see that."

"Cut it out," he snapped at her, voice low, as tense as a springboard.

" _You_ cut it out," she snarled, her last bit of patience snapping, "Stars, get yourself together."

The med droid led them into a small, brightly lit room, and gestured to the examination desk in the middle. "Please put the baby on this. I will perform a scan," it instructed, and Elana quickly did as it said. Bean whined as she set him down, claws outstretched to her, bottom lip wobbling. "Mwa," he called out with a sniffle, "Mwa."

Reaching over the bond, she wrapped him in a warm bundle of love, hoping that it would calm him down some. Letting him hold onto one finger, she looked up at the med droid. "Please step back. You can let him hold onto your hand," the droid said, and took out a big complicated looking scanner.

Something clicked ominously behind her, and when she turned her head, Elana saw the Mandalorian, blaster in hand.

"Stop that," she told him, _this_ close to ringing his bell so hard he would have a concussion.

Bee-Two scanned Bean with a blue light, and then switched to a red light. "He has increased temperature that is above the normal range of his body," the droid announced, "Can you tell me what species this child is so I can make a better prediction of his recovery? Or is he a hybrid?"

Elana shook her head. "I don't know what he is," she answered, biting her lip.

"Very well. Going by the symptoms and readings of other humanoid species, then." With a whirr, it ran a diagnostic.

"Quite an amount of blood had been extracted from him, but it's nothing to be worried about. He will be fine in a few days with some rest. But there are substances I cannot identify accurately in his bloodstream," the droid said, and it was as if an icy hand wrapped around her heart. She stared at the droid, feeling her stomach drop.

"Are they dangerous, though?" Elana got out, sounding choked.

"From what I can tell, no. They do not bind to cells or are actively destroying them."

"Could you run a deeper scan?"

The droid whirred again, cocking its head in an uncanny way, before nodding once. "Very well," it said, "This might take a few minutes." Rolling towards a large, white device, it started to press buttons and prepare it while Elana and the Mandalorian watched anxiously. Bean whimpered, claws digging into her shirt, ears hanging low. She gently smoothed over them, hoping that soft touches were calming for him.

As soon as a green light started to blink, the droid turned around, and held its hand out towards Bean. "May I?"

Ignoring the Mandalorian behind her who audibly tensed, she placed the child into the droid's arms, and even though it hurt her heart to see the little child stretching his little arms to her, whining loudly, Elana knew that it was necessary.

The droid rolled over to the device, beeping in a soothing manner, and placed him onto the scanner. Glancing over her shoulder to the Mandalorian, her lips pursed as she saw that his hand was still hovering over the blaster. Giving him a look and a sign to _put it down_ , Elana turned around again, and crossed her arms while waiting for the results of the scan.

"Why are you so tense?" Elana asked the Mandalorian in a low voice, "Because of the med droid?"

He said nothing, but tilted his helmet slightly.

"Are you serious?" Looking at him, not trying to judge, but understand, she furrowed her brows. "Why?"

He stepped closer, and it sounded as if he spoke through gritted teeth when he said: "Droids are unpredictable."

"Droids are helpful," Elana pointed out as Bee-Two beeped happily, probably having some toddler-appropriate programming installed in its software, and finished the scan.

"The substances are non toxic and should not cause any more damage than the fever," Bee-Two explained, "Once the fever is down, he will be completely healthy again."

"Thank the Stars," Elana exhaled, feeling like a weight had dropped from her heart.

"I can administer a fever shot so he will be able to sleep, he is not in a critical stage but with small children it can change rapidly."

"Do it, please." Chewing her lip, Elana watched as the droid left the room, presumably going to collect the shot.

Moving towards the table where Bean was lying on his back, Elana reached out a finger for him to grasp, and smiled at the little one. Mumbling encouraging praises and promises at him, the toddler was calmer than before, looking at her with big, dark eyes, the depth in them stunning.

Bee-Two rolled back, holding a tiny syringe, and it administered the shot to Bean quickly, the baby whimpering at the prick. "You can pick him up now. The procedure is complete," the med droid said, and she flashed it a thankful smile as she scooped Bean up.

He immediately clawed himself into her shirt, snuggling into her and burying his face in her shoulder. A quiet "Mwa" came from him as his fingers tightened to a point where it was almost painful.

"Shh, honey," Elana whispered and pressed a kiss on his left ear, "You can sleep now."

"Can you check on her as well?" Her head whipped around when she heard the Mandalorian voicing his request through gritted teeth.

The droid beeped once, before strolling over to her.

"Hand the child to your partner, please, I will give you a check-up," it said, and after a quick look at the bounty hunter, she placed the sleepy Bean into his arms. He instantly curled against the silver chestplate, ears turned to the back. She could feel the way Bean's mind slowly got fuzzy as the shot started to work, the fever lowering. The Mandalorian gave her a nod.

"Take your time," he said, somewhat awkwardly, "I'll wait outside."

Elana did not want to leave him completely alone with Bean, but she figured that it would probably be fine. If he bolted, Bean would bite him for her, she reasoned with herself, and since there was nothing to be done about it, she gave him an accepting nod.

The Mandalorian moved outside through the door that hissed open, and she could hear how Bean sleepily babbled at him.

Elana turned and faced the droid, before sitting onto the examination desk, her legs dangling on from the height. Bee-Two started to look over her, and its eyes focused on her cheek first, and then her wrists.

"Have you been recently freed?" It asked, and to be honest, she could not even blame it for the question. Elana was very aware how she must look like an escaped slave, especially in the Outer Rim.

"Something like that," Elana said, looking away.

"Do you have an implant?"

"Only standard ones, no trackers," she admitted.

"Have you been injured?" Bee-Two asked, its voice kind, "Are you in need of any specific testing, such as pregnancy tests?"

"No, none of that sort," Elana said, feeling a lump in her throat at the thought, slightly nauseous. Thank the Stars that the Mandalorian had never made any kind of advances on her, and that nothing had happened in the safehouse, probably due to Dr. Pershing.

The med droid beeped, and nodded. "That is pleasant to hear. I will run a scan on you now, and determine the extent of your wounds." Elana held still as it performed the procedure, and listened to it as it listed her various bruises, scrapes and wounds, commenting on the treatment that she had given herself already.

"I will administer a bacta spray on your wounds, they will heal you in a matter of hours. Be warned, older wounds might scar even with the treatment." Elana looked down at her wrists, and suppressed a sigh. There were worse scars to have, she told herself, and gave the droid a nod.

The bacta spray was cool as it misted her skin, and it smelled sharp and sickly sweet. Her skin tingled as the spray set itself onto her wounds, starting to become numb. Sitting up straight, Elana let the droid handle the cuts and scrapes that have already been looked after, letting it apply a new layer of bacta on her skin. Some of the bruises on her back the droid could reach better than she did, and it was a relief to have those treated as well. It did not take long until Bee-Two finished with a happy beep, and rolled back.

"All finished up," it told her with a little whirr, and the eye pieces moved in a way to indicate a smile. Elana automatically smiled back, and she stood up from the desk, her wrists fully numbed. When she peered at it, she could already see skin rebuilding itself. "This is amazing," she whispered, an awed smile on her face.

"Should I call your partner back in?" Bee-Two inquired, and Elana wanted to sigh, but it would be too much of a hassle to correct the assumption, so she nodded.

"Thank you," she said, and tugged on her sleeves, rolling the fabric down. The door opened with a hiss, and she could see how the Mandalorian had been standing right in front of it, arm curled around the little child, hand hovering over his blaster. He turned his head towards them, and his shoulders dropped with an exhale. Elana gave him a hopefully reassuring smile as she moved towards him, standing straight.

The Mandalorian stiffly thanked the med droid and placed some credits in its hand, Bean almost asleep against him. Before she knew it, he had pressed a hand between her shoulder blades in a not-so-subtle way to get her to move again. Elana glared at him, but chose not to comment, and when he pushed her down the hallway, she turned her head and called out a "Thank you!" to Bee-Two, who beeped back, his robotic hand waving in goodbye.

"We're going back to the ship," the Mandalorian said, and pushed a bit more.

She threw him the dirtiest look she could manage. "I can walk by myself, don't touch me."

He immediately put his hand away, but was still using his body to crowd against Elana, forcing her to walk faster, clearly wanting to get back to the _Razor Crest_ as soon as possible.

On their way back, Bean quietly sniffed from time to time, but he was regaining some of his usual colour. After a short transfer of the baby from his arms into hers, Elana pressed her lips against the little one's temple to take his temperature, and was satisfied when he did not feel as hot to the touch as before. Elana held him close, the warmth and the weight of the baby comforting, and the relief of him being better making her feel giddy. Arriving at the port after a quick check-out, they made their way to and ascended the ramp of the old gunship.

As soon as they were safely inside, and the lock of the ship hissed, the Mandalorian disappeared into the cockpit to start the ship. The _Crest_ lifted shortly after, and it was not long until the jerk and sudden roar of hyperspace alerted her to them being out of reach of the station.

Bean was sleeping now, his adorable snores soothing her frayed nerves, cooing at whatever dream he had behind those closed eyelids. Smiling at him, she gently stroked his little cheek, and felt her own exhaustion of an interrupted sleep set in. The Mandalorian dropped down again, but she was too tired to even flinch at the sudden movement.

"He's all right?" The Mandalorian asked, voice gentle, and he motioned to Bean. Not bothering to actually answer, she just made a "mhh" and nodded, her eyes starting to slip shut. He offered a folded blanket to her which she took wordlessly with a nod. "He will sleep like a rock," she said, and shot him a small smile.

"Good," he said, and tilted his helmet at her, "How are you?" His voice was unexpectedly gentle.

Elana glanced down, and was surprised to see that most of the redness had receded, the wound still steadily closing. "Looks nice," she said, her lips curving up once again, "Thank you for taking us to the medcenter."

"It was nothing," the Mandalorian said quietly, helmet downturned, and he took a step back, giving her space.

_It wasn't, though._

And both of them knew that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! I worked really hard on this one and if you would leave feedback or kudos it would mean the world to me❤🥺


	11. The Market

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elana comes to terms with what her deal with the Mandalorian entails... and a trip to a marketplace to stock up on supplies turns out to be more dangerous than anticipated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for every feedback I have received, I see every comment and kudo and I am SO grateful to every single one of you! Seeing you excited about this story makes me even more excited to work on it and my head is buzzing with all these ideas!  
> Enjoy the chapter!  
> Warnings: an attack, injuries, canon-typical violence, death/killing (as for softer warnings, skin contact and an emergence of soft!Din :D)

When she woke up the next day, Elana wanted to go straight back to sleep. She could feel her head pound with the interrupted sleep last night and probably the last lingering tendrils of the weird Imperial substance. Squeezing her eyes shut, lingering in the warmth of the cot with the blanket wrapped around her, she wished she could slip into blissful unconsciousness again. The silent roar of hyperspace outside the ship would probably be enough to lull her into a state where she could fully relax, but Elana knew herself. If she went back to sleep now, she would wake up even groggier, and it would make for an overall more pleasant experience if she would make her way out of the cot.

The air in the hull was cold, and she shivered, disliking the coils of ice that made their way under her blanket as she shifted. Opening her eyes fully, she looked at the ladder to the cockpit, the yellow light of the hull gentle on her eyes. Gaze dropping down, to the little crate Bean had been sleeping in, her heart gave a lurch when she found it empty. Searching the bond, Elana sensed him in the cockpit, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Better him in the cockpit than accidentally putting himself into the carbonite freezer. Elana threw her blanket back, and shivered again, before standing up. She found another shirt digging through her backpack that she put on, layering her clothes so she could get the maximum amount of warmth. When they get to a market, she will need to buy space travel appropriate clothes because the light linens from Arvala-7 were not cutting it. Quickly going to the privy and moving through a brisk morning routine, Elana finished up her braids and examined the nicely healed wounds before she stood at the foot of the ladder, straining her ears for any kind of noise.

"Don't play with that," she could hear the Mandalorian murmle, "That will turn the reverse thrusters on." Bean cooed loudly, mischief audible even from where she stood. Elana could not help an amused huff, shaking her head, and started to pull herself up, ignoring the slight sting in her wrists.

"Don't push that button," the Mandalorian was saying as she stood right in front of the cockpit door, "Stop touching things."

Bean giggled brightly as she opened the door, the sound greeting her. The green child was standing on the console of the ship, right in front of the bounty hunter, ears raised high as he gave her a three-fingered wave upon spotting her.

The Mandalorian slightly turned around from his seat, and gave her a stiff nod. "Morning," she said quietly, before giving Bean a soft smile. Moving past the pilot's seat, she scooped him up, the little one squealing at the motion. "How long has he been awake?" Elana asked the bounty hunter as Bean settled into her side.

"About two hours," he replied, and she blinked, surprised.

"Oh," she made, "Thank you for watching him."

"You're welcome." His voice was hesitant, as if he did not dare to speak any louder. Elana sat down in the left seat of him, Bean on her lap, and she started to check him over. The baby seemed to be healthy once again, his face a normal colour, eyes shining. When she carefully checked for the injection point, it looked a lot better, almost faded.

"Has he eaten?" Elana asked, and Bean cooed loudly, understanding perfectly what she was saying.

"I offered…" the Mandalorian said, voice trailing off, "He didn't seem to be hungry."

"Okay," she replied as Bean wriggled happily on her lap, and reached out for her braid. She took it away without looking down, and tilted her head at the Mandalorian. "We need to go to a market as soon as we're able," Elana started out, looking him directly in the eyes behind the visor, "To get more food, more supplies, since we are dead weight. I'm not out to spend all your credits or anything, I'm not stupid. But we need warmer clothes if we're staying in space for a longer period."

"If you're cold, I have blankets," he offered in a quiet voice, "A space heater as well."

Elana blinked, taken aback that he instantly saw through what she actually tried to say, but had not wanted to vocalise. She had always been a person to run cold, so she is thankful for every bit of heat she could get. "That would be very kind," she said, and gave him a small smile. Enough to dissipate the tension thick between them, but not enough to indicate any forgiveness.

He nodded once, before he turned around, gesturing to the navi computer. "I've set a random course, we will be planet hopping for a few days."

"Any prolonged stays?"

The Mandalorian shook his head. "Only fuel and supplies, we need to move fast to throw off any trails."

Elana bit the inside of her lip, silently dreading staying inside such a cramped space with the bounty hunter who she still did not fully trust. She was painfully aware that her only advantage was the moral high ground, and that was only if he chose to honour their arrangement. If he changed his mind halfway in, she would not be able to physically overpower him easily. Even if it seemed unlikely when Elana thought about all the time she had already spent in his presence, she could not let anything up to chance.

Not after everything. 

~

Bean was enamoured with the Mandalorian, Elana quickly figured out in the next days after the medcenter. She had an inkling before, but seeing it in full action? A completely different thing.

The unspoken power imbalance of captives and captor was fading, blurring into something obscure and fickle, unable for Elana to pin down what exactly they were now. He basically oozed guilt, which was especially palpable whenever he spotted her tracing the few new scars she had acquired ever since Arvala-7. Her wrists recovered better than she had hoped, thanks to the treatment, the scars were faint and would fade even more over time. So, all in all, she had nothing to complain about. The Mandalorian was soft spoken towards them, careful with Bean but even more so with Elana. She _did_ appreciate his efforts to not spook her, to always let her know if he was in the room, avoiding stepping into her space as much as possible, but no matter what, something deep inside her was still wary.

He had pulled a gun on her once. That meant he could do it again. The only thing she did not know is if he _would_.

He had the skill, had the means, and if she had to be honest, an advantage in pure raw strength over her. Even though she was not weak by any means, that man was taller, broader and stronger than her, which was _terrifying_ if she pondered too long about it. It had been the same way before Nevarro, she had always been scared of him, but now? It was worse.

Before, she at least _knew_ that she could not trust him.

Now, there was that tiny spark in her that _wanted_ to trust him, _wanted_ him to redeem himself to them. If she let down her guard, if he hurt them or sold them out once more, this time any harm that would come to Bean would not be only on him, it would be on _her_ too.

Bean was just an previously abused baby, who will trust anyone who is kind to him and offers him soft words and gentle touches. He would not be able to defend himself should the Mandalorian change his mind. If Elana let down her guard, blindly trusting the Mandalorian, she would not only be putting herself in danger, but Bean as well. This was the reason why she still was extra on edge when they were interacting with each other, why her first reaction was to shield Bean, even if rationally, she knew that it was probably unfounded.

Elana always tried to remember in those moments that he actually _did_ go back for them, even if it did not excuse how he _left_ them in the first place. The Mandalorian went back for Bean and her. He accepted her terms and he honoured their agreement until now. When Bean got sick he did not hesitate in getting them to a medcenter. He had never raised his hand or voice to Bean.

In fact, the only time he spoke louder than usual was when Bean almost opened the airlock while exploring every inch of the _Razor Crest_ , his trusty accelerator knob in his palm as he tumbled around the hull. The Mandalorian had sternly explained how that button should _never be pushed_.

The Mandalorian never raised his voice at her as well. If anything, Elana was the one with a short temper, sometimes snapping and glaring at him, even if she did not voice everything that went through her head. If it bothered him, he did not let it show, but she had noticed how he would carry himself in a non-threatening manner around her. He would let his palms turn upwards, slightly away from the blaster he was carrying, he would slump his shoulders, making himself smaller.

Regardless, everytime Elana caught sight of the glinting beskar armour, the rich bounty decorating him, the symbol of his bargain with the old Imperial, she would feel resentment simmer deep inside her. She did not know if it would ever change. Something about the deep seated distrust that stemmed from both his actions on Arvala-7 and Nevarro, even with all his good deeds ever since, made her extremely protective of her own space, watching him like a hawk.

Bean and she could have suffered a fate worse than death at his hands. The baby would have been subjected to experiments and pain, and Elana would have probably found herself at the mercy of the scientist and her guards.

Never mind that the Mandalorian actually got them back. He had been fully aware of what they would face when he handed them over.

So, despite all, Elana kept her distance to the Mandalorian.

Bean, however? Maybe it was because he did not understand, or maybe it was because he had already half forgotten the business on Nevarro. Before, everytime he disappeared Elana could always find him in some place where he played with something he found, be it a pebble, packaging of a ration bar, the one wooden teething ring she had managed to get off Arvala-7, or some kind of twig.

Now? She only had to look for the Mandalorian.

It _did_ make finding Bean a lot easier, Elana had to admit. She could always count on him clinging to the bounty hunter's boots, or hiding under the pilot's seat, a corner of the cape in his mouth, trying to scramble up onto the Mandalorian's lap or just staying somewhere near him. The man had let him stay on the controls several times now, Bean being content in watching either the blue swirls of hyperspace for hours or the twinkling void of real space. He was especially fascinated with all the glowing buttons and switches in the cockpit, and Elana did not know if they would wake up some day and have the baby gleefully smashing at the control board.

Two sleep cycles before, the Mandalorian had stopped a bit away from a nebula, and Bean had pressed his face against the viewport, cooing in excitement as he shimmied on the controls, doing a little dance and it was the first time she had heard the Mandalorian chuckle low, voice full of affection.

Even if, no matter what, the baby always returned to her at the end of the day, Bean liked the Mandalorian very much. Everytime he wanted some attention from the bounty hunter, he would waddle to him and pat on his boot until the Mandalorian looked down. The man would only exceedingly carefully pick the baby up, most of the time only when Bean was half scrabbling up his pants leg anyways, probably not wanting to overstep or to make her trust him even less. With the little one being so enamoured and fascinated by the bounty hunter, Elana was slowly starting to warm up to the idea of him handling Bean more and more.

One night, Bean had imprinted all the little things he liked about the Mandalorian on her _(he has a nice voice, soft gloves, and feels safe in the sense he did not have a name for)_ and afterwards, she purposefully started to let them interact more. Even if she did not trust the Mandalorian, yet, Bean did. Above all, Elana trusted Bean's instincts, and she trusted their bond to inform her the _second_ the Mandalorian tried something.

They had not spoken much with each other, other than inquiries about food or water or sleep, the basic necessities, and nine out of ten times Bean was their common topic. With three people crammed in an already small ship, it was impossible to ignore each other, but through unspoken cues, they had managed to avoid any embarrassing incidents thus far.

They did not talk about their first confrontation, but a second one was brewing on the horizon, and both of them knew that. Elana could only look forward, only prepare herself for what might come. There was no need to mention Nevarro again, and the Mandalorian seemed just as eager to talk about it as she was.

In conclusion, none of them addressed it.

Better to keep the peace now, as long as they could.

~

Being on the _Razor Crest_ with him was almost pleasant.

In the ship itself there was not much to be done, Elana found, since it literally was a hull, a fresher, a cockpit and a captain's quarters she had never set foot into. But somehow, it was not boring. Even if both of her companions were creatures who were a bit lacking in the conversation department, it was not bad. Of course, if she had the choice, she would be somewhere else, preferably on a safe, temperate planet like Naboo, taking care of Bean in a little house next to a lake, but that was a pipe dream she did not spend much time contemplating on.

Elana did not know why, but the _Razor Crest_ felt safe. Even though it was an old ship, sometimes appearing as it was held together by only bolts and prayers and the willpower of the Mandalorian, there was something about it she could not explain. When she trailed her hands over the metal sheets that separated them from the icy vacuum of space, the ship almost hummed at her, imbued with a feeling she could not name.

Impressions of the places, of the planets it had already visited, the passengers in it, and about its captain, telling stories that were slipping through her fingers, gone before she could grasp it, the tendrils curling around her like smoke. It just felt _safe_ to her. And Bean felt safe as well, if the bond was any indication.

Never mind the ship, the Mandalorian was an enigma as usual. There were times where she wished that she could just take a peek inside his head, to get any kind of reaction other than the blank stare of the visor and the reflective beskar surface. Elana wished that she could see his face, see his eyes, one indication more of whether or not he was a danger to them. She needed to know. She would not take chances.

But Elana will not disrespect his culture, nor force him to change his ways to make her more comfortable. She was not ignorant like that. He did not forbid her to wear her braids, so how can she demand of him not to wear his helmet?

And over the weeks that passed since the Niktos encampment back on Arvala-7, Elana was surprised to see how much she could actually pick up from his body language. Of course, she did not know him well enough, but he was incredibly expressive when she actually paid attention. His natural stillness made every motion more intense, more meaningful. The way she had to listen to his voice, not those few words he spoke, his _voice_ to know what he was really saying, it was really hard. It was also... fascinating.

 _He_ was fascinating.

The Mandalorian was a myriad of contradictions within himself.

He was ruthless, aggressive, deadly.

But he was also gentle, quiet and something that she could only describe as protective.

Elana did not know what to think of him anymore. 

~

Breathing in the air, filled with spices and smells and fabric, the breeze carrying something that guaranteed a delicious meal, Elana closed her eyes for a second and just relaxed. The market was bustling with many different species and stalls, and she was confident that she would be able to buy everything they needed here.

The Mandalorian was staying close, standing right behind her shoulder, and Elana did not know if she should be thankful for the obvious protection he was giving them, or irritated, because it was not exactly subtle. Especially if he was the shiniest being in the entire market, with exception to maybe some protocol droids.

Bean was on her hip, one arm slung protectively around him as he took in the sights, his little head turning everywhere as he followed the events with big, curious eyes. A tote bag was on her shoulder, already filled with food, snacks, some medical supplies and some clothes for her. Elana had bought a packet of cheap standard-issue black shirts and pants that were far too big for her, but she could layer them and keep warm in the easiest way possible. Next to her clothes, she bought cheap onesies for humanoids that Bean would wear under his brown robe. Space was cold and he needed every insulation possible for his little body. There was also an orange fabric ball around the size of her palm that she had bought for Bean, so he would have something soft to play with on the _Crest_. He had thrown his wooden teething ring into the toilet this morning, and there was _no way_ she was getting that back, which made him inconsolable for _hours_. In the beginning, the Mandalorian had snorted in amusement, before quickly changing course for the nearest market, saying something about needing to refuel anyways.

"We need blankets for him," she said, and looked at the bounty hunter in hesitancy. He just tilted his head in what she chose to interpret as yes. Knowing that everything would be paid by the Mandalorian, Elana was extremely careful in calculating every piece of credit that he would have to spend for them.

She bought new diapers, got her hands on some pyjamas for Bean but she could not find new robes or jumpers for him she was willing to pay for. Methodically checking over sizes and textures, she did her best to keep the process as short as possible even if the Mandalorian did not say a word during the whole time. Elana had not found the right sort of wood for the teething ring that would be non-toxic for Bean yet, so she told the Mandalorian what kind he should keep an eye out for.

When they arrived at a stall with soft blankets, the woman behind the counter smiled brightly at them.

"What a precious baby," she praised, and Elana could not help her smile.

"Thank you," she replied, and pointed towards the blankets, "May I?"

"Oh, of course, feel all you want, darling, that small child deserves to have some warm blankets."

Bean cooed loudly at her as if to agree, and Elana huffed in amusement before trailing her fingers over the laid out blankets and furs, letting the baby feel as well.

There was a soft nexu fur that Bean especially liked, spreading out his arms as he snuggled against it, turning his head and smiling at her while cooing, but with one glance onto the price tag Elana grimaced. "Not that one, Bean," she gently said, "That's too expensive."

So they moved on to the blankets, they were very soft and the material was warm as well, and there was a dark blue one that grabbed her attention. Holding out an end for Bean to feel, he babbled happily, trying to tug these closer. "Do you like this one, honey?" Elana asked, smiling at the delight on the small one’s face. "Excuse me," she asked the vendor, "how much for this blanket?"

Thankfully, it did not cost as much as she had feared, and it was a reasonable price. The Mandalorian handed the vendor the correct amount of credits, and the woman smiled at Elana as she folded the blanket before handing it to her.

"You have a lovely child," the woman said, smiling approvingly, "You've done well."

Elana smiled automatically and gave a confused blink before thanking the vendor. The woman said something else but she was distracted by Bean suddenly reaching out and wanting to play with the material.

"Hey, honey, be patient, you can get this when we're back in the ship," Elana told him firmly, moving the blanket a bit away from him.

Then, she looked up to the woman, and smiled while saying her thanks and walked away, the tote bag on her shoulder starting to get heavy. She caught up with the Mandalorian who stood a few paces away.

"Thank you," Elana said, and he made a noncommittal noise.

"As long as the baby likes it," was his response, before clearing his throat, turning to her and asking: "Do you need anything else?"

"I don't think so," Elana said, going over her mental list again.

"Do you have enough clothes?"

She looked up at him, surprised at the consideration, and nodded, a small smile on her lips. "Probably."

He was silent, and tilted his head slightly as if to say _You sure?_

Elana nodded, feeling unexpectedly warm at his concern. This was new.

Bean spotted something that caught his attention, and he reached out, squeaking loudly, making grabby hands at it. Following his line of vision to a vendor selling roasted meat, Elana chuckled. "Are you hungry?" Bean twisted towards her, and gave her big, sad eyes.

"I have something I need to buy, you go ahead with him?" The Mandalorian requested and handed her a small pouch of credits, "Give me your bag."

"All right," she replied while shifting Bean on her hip, and he took the heavy tote bag from her shoulders. Elana set off after a last nod from the Mandalorian. He walked away, and made a stop at one vendor a bit further down the street, and she asked herself what he would want to buy.

Going to the stall, she greeted the owner with a friendly smile, and started looking over the selection. It smelled delicious, and Bean cooed happily as he pointed towards the particular roast he wanted to have. Elana bought it, and sat on one of the little stools the vendor offered, placing the baby in front of her. Giving Bean his food, she waited patiently for the little one to gnaw at the meat, smacking his lips as he ate.

It felt achingly… normal. Just her and her child, buying food at the market and taking a moment to eat, with no worries and no obligations. Bean was finished with his food pretty quickly, and Elana picked him up again, and walked into the direction where she last saw the Mandalorian.

A sudden warning shot across her mind, enough for her to hold Bean securely against her side, seconds before someone grabbed her arm, and tugged her close.

"Don't move, doll," a voice hissed in her ear, making her stiffen and tighten her grasp on Bean even more. Elana felt something cold digging into her back. "You're gonna act like nothing is wrong, all right?" The man continued, a hand resting uncomfortably on her hip and his hot breath making her flinch, "We are going to head into that alley there, and you're not gonna do anything stupid, understood?"

A leather-covered hand pointed right at a dark corner a few steps away from her, his fingers pressing into her skin. Bean made a worried coo, and she felt his little heart beat fast under her palm. He knew that something was wrong, and he buried his face into her shirt, whining.

"I won't hurt the bounty if you cooperate," the hunter said, and gave her a slight nudge which she followed blindly.

As Elana walked towards the alleyway, she could only think of how much she wished that the Mandalorian would appear. And was that not ironic? Not even days before she would have given anything to escape him. Arriving in it, only a few rays of sunlight capturing the dust particles shimmering, he stopped.

"Now turn around," the man said, and she did as he commanded, feeling herself shaking.

The man was some years older than she was, and had a smeary grin on his face that made her want to recoil.

"Well, isn't he a sweetie," he said, peering down at Bean, and the little child pressed himself closer to Elana, his claws digging painfully into her forearm but she did not make a sound, "Don't be scared, I won't hurt him."

He lifted his gaze, and took in her features, before reaching out with a finger, brushing the loose strand of hair behind her ear. Elana did not dare to breathe, eyes fixed on a spot above the man's shoulder, lips pressed tightly together.

"You're a pretty one, huh? No wonder Mando wanted to keep you," the hunter said, and grasped her chin, "You'd fetch a good price as a dancer, once the little fella's with the client."

Elana said nothing, frozen to the spot, mind running at hyper speed. _Brace yourself_ , she sent across the bond to Bean, already analysing the best places to strike him, to immobilise him long enough she could get to the marketplace again, make a commotion loud enough for the Mandalorian to notice.

If he would just get a bit _closer--_

Before she knew what happened, the bounty hunter had taken Bean in a lightning fast move, smirking at her, and a noise of protest left her throat.

"Give him back," she demanded, voice shaky, eyes fixed on the way Bean squirmed in his hold, "Give him _back_."

"Oh, doll, I don't think so," he said, holding Bean close to his body. The little one started to whimper, his palms pushing against the stranger, trying to get the man to let him go.

"He'll start to cry," Elana warned, "And he is _loud_."

He scoffed. "Well, there are more than one way to shut him up then, huh?"

"Give him back," she said, pure desperation in her voice, "I'll scream, and the Mandalorian will hear."

"Go on," he taunted, and next thing she knew, a blaster was pointed at her, "It would be a pity to kill you, doll, but I don't particularly care."

Her body _moved_ , not by her own will, but by some instinct taking over. She ducked under his arm, and rammed her elbow against his side. He grunted, and let Bean fall to the ground with a _thud_. The little child rolled and scampered away, much to her relief. But the second she had wasted to look at Bean, the bounty hunter was on her.

Elana did her best to avoid his hits, but she was untrained and acting on pure instinct instead of skill. When he threw a punch at her, she barely managed to shift to the side, his knuckles glanced off at her temple, snapping her head to the side.

She could hear Bean wailing loudly, but she could not place him. Vision spinning, she took too long to orient herself again, and stumbled. The bounty hunter used that opportunity to tackle her, and slam her into the ground.

"Stupid bitch," he hissed, and wrapped his hands around her neck, applying pressure. Gasping for air, Elana's fingers dug into his skin, nails scratching, trying to pry him off her. Bean wailed again, and she managed to get one knee up, slamming it against where it would hurt him most.

He let out a strangled groan as he flinched back. Elana used the second of him incapacitated to wriggle out under him, limbs shoving and using all her strength to get on top, so she could escape, grab Bean--

She got free, and scrambled for purchase against the ground, heart leaping frantically in her chest.

A hand wrapped around her ankle, and tugged her down, hard, and she went down with a cry, leg twisting painfully, white hot lightning shooting through her body. She kicked back as hard as she could, but he was already too close for it to have any big effect. He used his entire body weight to keep her pinned to the ground, his mass holding her down. Elana trashed as much as she could, panic taking over, he was _too heavy_ , she could not _move_ \--

"As soon as I get the bounty," he snarled hotly into her ear, making her flinch, "I'm gonna make you watch--"

Elana did not wait for him to finish his sentence, but _pushed_ , mind blank.

His weight disappeared, and there was a loud _crack_ that made her flinch.

A sudden wave of dizziness washed over her.

Elana pushed her upper body off the ground, twisted, breathing hard, and stared at the bounty hunter a few feet away, heart pounding.

He lied sprawled on the ground, still. Her blood rushed through her ears, so loud she could not hear anything but her pulse, beating a fast and hard staccato against her ribcage.

Bean was still yelling.

She stared in shock at the bounty hunter first, and then onto her hands. They were bloody and scratched up from her scrambling on the ground, dirt in the wounds.

_Did she do that?_

She was not nearly strong enough to send a full grown man flying several feet away. _No way._

There was a rustle, and someone was standing in the opening of the alley, the lights blocked out by them. Elana turned around, still in shock, one hand on the ground to stabilise herself, and was greeted with the sight of the Mandalorian. He stood there, with his blaster raised, shoulders squared, looking ready for a fight.

"Bean?" Elana croaked, her throat sore from the choke she received, "Where is--"

The little child came into view, toddling towards her with loud gurgling, ears hanging low and tears brimmed in his eyes. Elana reached out, and as soon as he was close enough, she tugged him to her body, hands shaking.

The Mandalorian had moved around, and inspected the bounty hunter. His head whipped around to her, and she met his gaze behind the visor, trembling.

"Is he dead?" Elana managed weakly, voice rough.

He nodded once and stepped closer before reaching out a hand, gently wrapping it around her wrist. With a slight tug, he helped her up, his other hand half outstretched to stabilise if needed. Bean cooed loudly, and pressed his face against her chest.

_I killed someone_ , Elana thought, feeling numb as she stared at the corpse, _I killed him._

"You're bleeding," the Mandalorian said, and pushed her hair behind her ear, tilting her jaw to get a better look at where the other bounty hunter had struck her. She felt the wet warmth of her blood against her hairline, the spot throbbing painfully. "You all right?"

It took a second until she realised that the question was directed at her, feeling completely numb, unable to take her eyes off the bounty hunter on the floor.

"Yeah," Elana made, not knowing what else she could say.

He nodded once again in her peripheral view, and gestured with his head towards the bustling street, the market outside going on as if nothing had happened, "Go back to the _Crest?_ "

"Yeah," she whispered, ducked her head, and took a step, only to hiss in pain when her ankle gave out. Almost dropping Bean, she stabilised herself against the alley wall, glancing down at her body. Carefully twisting her foot, she could manage to limp out the alley, applying minimal pressure on the injured limb.

"Can you walk?" The Mandalorian asked, standing next to her, arms hovering, but not touching her.

"I think so," Elana said, voice hoarse.

He nodded, and then gestured for her to lead the way. She limped on legs that felt remarkably stable, him directly behind her, and even though she never reached out for support, some part deep in her knew that she could have leaned against him.

The way back to the _Razor Crest_ passed in a blur, and the comforting weight of Bean in her arms and the knowledge that the Mandalorian was right behind her made her able to calm down. Her body was incredibly sore and hurt after the adrenaline had receded, her head throbbing, and if she was honest with herself, she was kind of dizzy as well. But all of that faded in comparison to the numbness in her mind, how it was completely _blank_. She killed someone. She took a life.

Elana felt sick.

Arriving at the ship, docked safely, the Mandalorian pressed on his vambrace and the ramp lowered. "Get in. I'll pay for the ship," he commanded, and Elana nodded shakily, grimacing at the sharp pull on her wound.

Inside the hull, her knees gave, and she could barely manage to catch herself against the weapons drawer. Careful while lowering herself to the ground, she set Bean on the floor. He let himself sit for a second before turning around, cooing at her with a sad expression on his face, ears hanging low. "I'm all right," she told him and gave him an empty but reassuring smile, "I'm all right, sweetpea."

The Mandalorian returned and she watched him as closed the ramp on the side with a push against the button. Then, he moved towards the side of the hull, and grabbed the medkit. "Where are you hurt?" The Mandalorian asked, his voice soft.

"My head," Elana replied, voice soft as she stared past him, eyes unfocused, mind blank, "and my ankle as well."

"Can I?" His voice was gentle, and he gestured to her face. She nodded slightly, chewing at the inside of her lip.

He hesitated, before tugging his gloves off, exposing big tanned hands, littered with small scars and a larger burn on the side of his right one. She focused on his hands, the new sight jarring enough to shake her back into the moment. There was a tiny black blob on his left hand, right between his thumb and forefinger, and her breath caught as she realised that it was a tiny tattoo.

The Mandalorian prepared a disinfectant wipe methodically without looking at her, before slowly, as if not to spook her, raised his hand and moved it towards her head.

He did not warn her of the sting.

He did not need to.

Careful but throughout in his treatment, the Mandalorian cleaned the wound at the side of her head without hesitation, before spreading a layer of bacta gel on the surface, him almost not touching her skin at all.

She blinked fast, before lowering her gaze to the ground. "Thank you," she whispered, and her eyes flicked upwards again, where his own would be.

He just hummed shortly, before tilting her chin up with a warm finger, inspecting her neck. "It'll bruise," he said, and spread bacta on there as well. Elana barely suppressed a gasp at the cold texture, biting down on her lip as she stared hard at the ceiling.

_The bounty hunter was dead because of her. She killed him, she took a life, she killed someone--_

The Mandalorian moved back a bit, and held up a finger. "Follow," he said, and moved it to the left first, and then to the right. He made a hum again when she was able to complete his request. "Not concussed. Good."

Bean chirped next to her, patting her thigh. Elana smiled weakly at him, and the Mandalorian gave something like an amused huff towards the baby.

Next on, he turned her hands upwards, the calluses on his fingertips dragging against her softer skin, and Elana winced as she saw how bloody the deep gouges were, the dirt everywhere, darkening her palm. "Hold on," the Mandalorian said, and got another disinfectant wipe. This time, Elana could not help her hiss at the sharp sting as he cleaned her hands, and tried to focus on other things. Like how easily she had thrown that bounty hunter. She did not know that it was possible for her to do that.

_She killed someone. She killed a living being._

Elana did not even realise how fast she started to breathe, her mind running fast, until the Mandalorian's hand wrapped around her wrist. The warmth of his skin against hers startled her enough to snap her eyes up towards the blank helmet. His visor was focused on her, and she felt tears starting to gather at how close it all was, how close she came to losing Bean, to getting seriously hurt herself.

"Calm down," he said, voice gentle as he broke eye contact, tilted his helmet down, and continued to carefully remove the dirt from her wounds, his hands being exceedingly careful with her.

"I killed someone," Elana said quietly, and felt stupid a moment later. How would he care? He had probably killed more people than she had ever met, he would not blink while pulling the trigger and he would not be haunted by them. But even with the experience of the Mandalorian, guilt started to bubble up in her, that she had taken a _life_ , without thought, without even pausing to think about it.

"He would not have hesitated to kill you and Bean," the Mandalorian pointed out.

"But still," she whispered, "He had family, friends--"

He interrupted her, voice sharp but not unkind: "He was scum. He would not give you the afterthought you give him."

Elana still wanted to argue, feeling frustrated tears starting to pool in her eyes, but she knew that it would not change anything. There was nothing she could do, nothing she could say to bring the bounty hunter back to life again.

"You did it to protect yourself and the baby. You don't need to feel guilty," the Mandalorian added, and it was unexpectedly comforting, coming from him.

Elana looked at Bean, who had curled himself on her thigh, his cheek smushed against the dark fabric of her pants, loving eyes blinking up at her.

The Mandalorian finished cleaning her hands, and took out bandages from the medkit, presumably to lock in the bacta. Elana looked down and watched the white bandages being carefully wrapped around her palms. His visor was trained on her hands as he used a small medical clasp to secure the bandage.

"You good?" He suddenly asked, and Elana flinched, chewed on her lip, and lowered her gaze.

"Yeah," she said, and he nodded, before gesturing to her foot.

"Take your shoe off," he said, and Elana was quick in obeying, unlacing her boots with careful fingers and pulling it off with a wince, the socks underneath contrasting against her skin. Her ankle looked worryingly swollen, and was slightly discoloured as well.

"Could be sprained," the Mandalorian said, inspecting it, his finger gentle as he felt along it, prodding experimentally. Elana bit her lip, anxious.

If she had a sprained ankle, she would not be able to run, to get Bean to safety as fast as before.

The Mandalorian was quiet for a while, before sighing. "You can tell better than I can. How does it feel?" He then asked.

Elana swallowed before carefully rotating her foot. It cracked disconcerting on the turn in, and she could not help her wince.

He sighed again, before reaching up, and twisting something on the side of his visor. "Your ligaments look bad," he said after a short pause.

_X-Ray_ , she realised, _That's... handy as hell._

"Now what?" Elana asked, "I don't suppose you have some stabilisers?"

He was quiet. Then: "I have a bacta shot."

Elana blinked, before her eyes widened. Was he seriously offering her a bacta shot? For her _ankle?_ "That's a waste of supplies," she pointed out, feeling uncomfortable, "Bacta shots are expensive as hell."

He shrugged. "You gotta be light on your feet as long as the baby is still being hunted."

That was true. But still, it was an unnecessary expense.

"There are better uses for bacta shots than for my ankle," Elana told him, pulling her leg back, setting it on the ground with a slight wince. "This is not something terminal."

"It could be, though," the Mandalorian pointed out.

"You should not waste them on me." It was said in a whisper while Elana looked down on her carefully bandaged hands.

"I owe you," he said after a short moment where it was quiet between them.

Her head snapped up, and she stared at him in bewilderment. "Not for this. What if we need the shot again, huh?"

"There is more where it came from," he said, and reached into the medkit, taking out a syringe filled with the highly expensive treatment.

Elana hesitated. On the one side, her ankle was throbbing and becoming more and more painful with every second. On the other, it was a complete waste. She opened her mouth to protest again, but his hand shot out, and grabbed her ankle more gently than she expected, his bare skin searing, his touch electrifying. He propped the ankle up enough so he had good access, before lining the syringe up to where it hurt most.

"Okay," he breathed out, and pushed in. The slight prick made her gasp, suppressing a flinch that could dislodge the needle, and the pressure increased as he pushed a small amount in.

Bean cooed, and patted her thigh as if to calm her. Elana chewed on the inside of her lip as she watched the Mandalorian carefully pull the needle out. He disinfected the tip of it and placed it back to the medkit after sealing it off. She could already feel the tingling sensation of the bacta working, and knew that she would have to keep her foot still for a while so it would heal correctly.

The Mandalorian pulled his gloves on again, and a part in her was disappointed at the loss of warmth. Skin meant that he was human. Of course, she had figured it out long before, based on mannerisms, the way he carried himself, the one or other slip of skin he revealed by stretching out, a flash of tan at his wrist. But actually seeing a part of him uncovered? The little bullseye tattoo? It meant that he was not just the Mandalorian, a bounty hunter, but someone beneath it. Someone with a name, a family, a life full of loss and joy.

It made him seem more relatable.

"What's the tattoo for?" Elana asked before she thought about it.

He stilled, before his helmet tilted towards her. It was quiet between them, only Bean shuffled slightly on her side. "Target practice," he then said, voice so soft she almost did not hear, "To remember."

"Remember what?"

"Regrets," the Mandalorian said, standing up, "I'll start the ship. We've attracted too much attention here."

Elana looked down, one hand tracing across Bean's back, the baby cooing loudly.

"A desolate planet, it is?"

The Mandalorian sighed. "Yeah. I'll find something." With those words, he pulled himself up into the cockpit, and Elana stared after him, not knowing what to feel about the Mandalorian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I am grateful to you readers, truly!!


	12. The Rebel Shock Trooper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They land on a backwater planet called Sorgan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my friends! I wanted to give you a tiny present before the holidays, so have this update! :D Thank you so much for every comment, kudo and bookmark, I light up every time I see a change in the statistics!! I´m so glad that you enjoy reading this story, it means more to me than you know!!  
> Without further ado, this is the start of the second arc in Ven, the build up for them becoming friends!
> 
> Warnings: canon-typical violence, a discussion of domestic violence/abuse, themes of grief/loss, sexual innuendo

It has been two days since the market, spent in deep space, making random jumps and calculations, the Mandalorian throwing off anyone who might be on their tails. Even though she appreciated the sentiment and understood the logic behind that decision, the lack of fresh, unfiltered air and sunlight on her skin made her antsy. But she knew better than to complain.

A soft, white sheep fur had appeared mysteriously in Bean's little box, and the little one was absolutely delighted by the gift. He snuggled into it whenever he could, and there was a Bean-shaped dent in one corner of the box where he liked to curl up. Elana had thanked the Mandalorian with a smile and a nod when she had found it, and besides a little shrug, that had been the last acknowledgement that the bounty hunter had given her on that topic. The little one still actively seeked him out, finding a patient playmate in the quiet man, who was willing to entertain him while there was nothing to do on a ship as small as the _Crest_ was.

Her ankle healed perfectly. Elana still thought that it was a complete waste of precious supplies, but considering that it benefited her, she did not say anything. There were some bruises left on her skin, but they were steadily fading, getting to a point where even bacta would not help anymore.

What was getting to her the most at the moment was the lack of sleep. Ever since the bounty hunter at the market had gotten her, Bean did not let her out of his sight, being more clingy than usual, snuggling close at every chance, including late at night. Elana loved the little one more than life itself, but he was a fussy sleeper, climbing around, moving closer all the time, kicking blankets off. She would wake up with her braid in his mouth, or her arm completely numb because he was lying on it, or him on her back, unable to get him down without waking him in the process. And that was without counting in the nightmares, where she would snap up, a cry lodged in her throat, eyes burning and heart beating fast, terror in her bones.

Bean would nuzzle into her, helping her calm down, but still, it took a long time to get back to sleep afterwards.

In short, it was exhausting. She had not truly rested ever since the fateful encounter with the bounty hunter she had _killed_. The crack of his skull against the wall was haunting her waking step, replaying in a loop, and she found herself examining her shaky hands, wondering what exactly had happened. It was an easy feat now to get her to flinch, to tear up, eyes burning. While she was desperately trying not to show how affected she was by it, Elana had the feeling that the Mandalorian knew.

Elana was just so _tired_. Taking care of Bean was a delight most of the time, but she would like to get a moment for herself, to cry, to scream, to get her feelings out. Or even a full night of uninterrupted sleep, that would be enough. But she did not want to burden the Mandalorian even more. Her brain worked in strange ways, running in circles, irrationally convinced that after an amount of time, he would want to get rid of them, regardless of their agreement. It was a unfounded worry since the Mandalorian had proven himself to be honorable and willing to redeem himself for his actions, but in some moments, Elana was still unsure.

He seemed to sense her internal turmoil, and worked against her unspoken fear by willingly watching Bean for a few hours without prompting. He would sit in the cockpit with the little one, explaining star charts and buttons to him with the patience of a saint, giving her moments in which she could be alone for a bit.

She was not above sneaking away to take a nap every time this happened to catch up on some much needed sleep.

The Mandalorian was _good_ with Bean, in a way she would have never guessed beforehand. Elana did not know if he had any experience with toddlers, if he bonded with Bean or if he simply was a natural. He was always gentle with him, careful when picking the little one up, and the few occasions where he held the green baby close it was always with a steadying hand on his back, fingers curling around his side. He easily fell into a role of helping with Bean.

It was difficult to pin down the atmosphere on the ship. Every interaction between the Mandalorian and Elana was tense; both out of their depths, tiptoeing around each other. The fine line between ex-captor and protector was blurred, and Elana did not know how she should behave around him.

What were they now? They were not his captives, not his bounties, but they were not quite his _guests_ either. They were not on even footing but they were not _not_ on even footing at the same time. It was as if they were hovering around each other, the only thing that stopped them from starting to argue was the little child who looked at them with big, trusting eyes.

The friendliness and the neutral, superficial conversations and borderline teasing comments did not feel _fake_ , per se, but there were many unspoken things lingering between the lines, avoiding eyes, holding tongues, a respectful distance between them, waiting for the right opportunity to spill over, another confrontation brewing on the horizon.

Elana always kept expecting that he would change his mind and drop the both of them off somewhere. It would be easy for him to wash his hands of the nasty business of helping two of his bounties escape.

If it were not for Bean, that conversation might have happened way earlier. She was grateful to the child, in a sense, because he managed to defuse every close call between her and the bounty hunter.

The little one always seemed to know when tensions arose, and inserted himself between them, a tiny buffer, who was able to calm down the adults with a simple coo and a smile.

Without Bean, they would probably have driven each other up the walls of the old spaceship already. And the worst thing was that Elana found herself drawn to him, wishing she could seek out conversations, which was logical because he was the only person with whom she could actually talk to. He was the only person around who could possibly understand her frustrations, who could relate to her, could communicate more than the babbles and coos and fragmented thoughts the bond allowed.

Elana missed talking to people. So, _so_ much.

But she refused to talk to the Mandalorian beyond pleasantries, wry words and maybe some exchanges about Bean, never going any deeper than that.

She did not know what would have happened if the little baby was not on the ship with them.

~

The ship shook several times, which made Elana look up, and make her way to the ladder that led into the cockpit.

"Stop touching things," the Mandalorian warned, and Elana could feel the mischief across their bond, Bean looking up at him innocently. Sighing to herself, Elana held onto the ladder, and prepared herself for another shaking of the ship.

A button was pressed, and the _Razor Crest_ rumbled. She started to climb up, seeing how the Mandalorian grabbed Bean and placed him into his lap. "Let's see... Sorgan," the bounty hunter told Bean, and with an involuntary smile she realised that he was explaining what was happening to the little baby, entertaining him, "Looks like there is no star port, no industrial centers, no population density. A real backwater skug hole. Which means it's perfect for us."

Elana went into the cockpit as he said: "Ready to lay low and stretch your legs for a couple of months, you little womp rat?"

"So, Sorgan?" Elana asked, leaving against the cockpit door.

The Mandalorian turned around in his seat, shoulders tense as he inclined his helmet at her, Bean wriggling happily on his lap. "Nobody's gonna find us here," he said, voice low, as if it was a promise.

She frowned, and looked at the planet in front of them. It did look mostly green, and Bean would probably adore the plant life, a drastic change from Arvala-7. "If you say so," she chose to voice, sitting down into the co-pilot seat to his left.

As the ship entered the planet's atmosphere, skimming over the forests and lakes of it, she could not help but stare, soaking in the view.

It reminded her of her home planet. Sure, the mountains in the distance were missing, the tree tops looked different, but -- it was similar enough.

The Mandalorian maneuvered the _Razor Crest_ into a glade, and landed carefully. Powering the ship down, he stood up, gently prying Bean away from the steering stick. "Now listen," he told Bean, and turned around to Elana as well, "I'm gonna go out there and I'm gonna look around."

Looking at her, tilting his helmet, he added: "It shouldn't take too long."

He stood up and put Bean on his seat. Bean was watching him with big shiny eyes, enraptured by the attention the Mandalorian was giving him.

"Now, don't _touch_ anything," he said, sternly pointing a finger at the baby.

Elana raised an eyebrow, trying to hide her amusement at his command. He should know by now that Bean does not particularly care to listen to both of them, except in emergency situations.

"Caretaker," the Mandalorian addressed her, "I'll find us some lodging, then I'll come back for you."

"Isn't it better if we come with you? What if someone tries to board the ship?" Elana asked, weighing the options in her mind.

"There are ground security protocols, that probably won't happen," he dismissed, before turning to Bean, ignoring her quiet " _Probably_ " completely

"You stay right here," he told the baby, who was watching him with his ears lifted high, little hands grasping his robe in excitement. "You _stay_. Don't _move_."

She bit her lip at the stern tone he was aiming for, trying to hold in her laughter. "You're trying to reason with a toddler, you know?" Elana pointed out wryly, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

He looked at her, body language conveying his annoyance, before he turned to Bean again. "You listen to your caretaker, all right? She knows what you should and shouldn't do. You understand?"

Bean cooed loudly, and nodded once, his whole body bouncing with the force of that motion.

The Mandalorian gave something that could have been an amused huff. "Great," he said, before he turned around and moved down the ladder.

Elana and Bean looked at each other, and the baby cooed at her, before he climbed off the seat. Landing lightly on his feet, he waddled to the ladder. She moved quickly, having seen Bean attempt to jump down the hole before, and even if he always managed to land on his feet, his _abilities_ helping him, it did not change the fact that she would probably have a tiny heart attack if it happened again.

The Mandalorian was punching in buttons as the ramp started to lower, the noise of it masking the sounds of their approach. When the ramp was completely open, the bounty hunter looked down, just to find Bean holding onto his leg, staring at him with adoring eyes.

He turned around and looked at her, incredulously. "Why does he do that?" He asked, shoulders raised high in defense.

"He likes you," was her simple response, "get used to it."

He sighed heavily. "Oh, what the hell..." Bending down to extract Bean from his leg, carefully holding him under his armpits while the baby squealed in delight and held his arms out towards the bounty hunter, the Mandalorian put him in Elana's arms.

"Why, thank you," she said dryly, but he just started walking, and left the ship.

"Come on," he called, gesturing for them to follow.

The walk through the woods was pleasant. The air was fresh and everywhere she looked, there were plants, lush foliage, green leaves and ferns and moss and everything in between that soothed her soul. Elana could feel herself relax, walking more upright, turning her head around and taking in as much of the green as she could. She did not remember the last time she had seen this many trees and plants, and even though she pretended not to be affected by it, a soft smile blossomed and persisted in her face. Having spent years on various city planets before making it to Arvala-7, it made her realise how much she had missed seeing a forest like this. How was it possible for a place in this galaxy to harbour so much green.

The walk probably could have taken a much shorter time, but Bean was excited and wanted to see everything. Letting him on the ground for a while, he stumbled around branches and picked up leaves, Elana and the Mandalorian agreeing to give him time to play for a bit.

"Let him tucker himself out, he'll sleep better at night," she told him as they watched Bean kneeling by a white flower, picking it and holding it to his nose, to instantly sneeze at the pollen inside. Laughing at the disgruntled expression on his face afterwards, she scooped him up, the Mandalorian shaking his head at Bean, and they continued walking.

A settlement appeared before them, built on a large open space in between the trees, a variety of little huts and round houses focused around a big main structure. It was a large, yurt-like building, and by the smell of food that wafted to them, it was a common house of sorts.

Entering it through a curtain, Elana blinked at the interior. The yurt was held up by big, wooden pillars and beams, with sunlight streaming in, capturing the dust that floated gently, automatically softening the atmosphere inside. Trailing behind the Mandalorian, she took in the new sights. Bean looked around with curious dark eyes, making little noises as he spotted something unfamiliar. Acutely aware of how people were instantly pointing and whispering at them, the Mandalorian impossible to miss with his shiny armour, the huge rifle on his back and his overall presence, Elana held onto Bean tighter and scooted closer to the bounty hunter. He was turning his head slowly, probably taking survey of the other patrons.

Bean was pointing at a tooka, cooing loudly at it, but startled when the animal hissed at him.

"Hey, honey," Elana patted his back in a comforting manner, "it's okay."

Bean pointed at the tooka again, this time accusingly, before he buried his face into her shoulder and whined.

"I won't let it hurt you, promise," she murmured to him, exchanging a glance with the Mandalorian.

"You need me to shoot the thing?" The Mandalorian asked Bean, sounding completely serious.

Elana snorted, and could not help her smile. "I don't think that will be necessary," she told him, bouncing Bean slightly in her arms. The bounty hunter shrugged, tilting his head at her in a manner that made her suppress a grin.

He led them to a table, and as Elana sat down, he took Bean and set him onto a stool. Bean looked pleased, tapping at the table happily, scrutinizing some crumbs on the table, touching them and--

"Don't eat that!"

Bean cooed at her, frowning, and Elana opened her mouth to explain to him that he should _not_ eat random stuff without knowing what it is when the Mandalorian interrupted her.

"We are being watched," he said in a low voice, "Don't turn around."

She stiffened, an arm snaking around the little one. "Bounty hunter?" Elana whispered, thinking back on the one at the market, and she could almost feel his weight on her again, hear the snap of his neck--

Before the Mandalorian could answer, the proprietor of the common house, a dark haired woman, arrived, smiling at the three of them. "Welcome, travellers," she greeted while she wiped her hands off, eyes crinkling as she looked at Bean, "Can I interest you in anything?"

The Mandalorian looked at her, and after a short nod in permission, he ordered: "Bone broth, for the little one."

"The same for me, thank you," Elana said, carefully folding her hands as she smiled back at the woman, slightly strained, aware of the fact that there was someone who could cause harm to Bean in the near vicinity.

"Oh, well, you're in luck," she said, "I just took down a grinjer, so there's plenty." Turning to the Mandalorian, the woman queried: "Can I interest you in a porringer of broth as well?"

He shook his head, placing his arm onto the table casually, "Just the two for them."

"Very well," the proprietor said, smiling and starting to turn away when the Mandalorian stopped her.

"That one over there, when did she arrive?"

Elana casually turned her head, pretending to look at Bean, and sneaked a look at another dark haired woman, who was light skinned and clothed in blue leather armour. She had short hair that was braided up at one side, the other half falling to her chin, and the overall threatening air around her was intensified by the way she was glaring at them.

"Uh… I've seen her here for the last week or so," the proprietor said, looking confused.

"What's her business here?" The Mandalorian asked, shifting on his seat.

Bean started to wriggle in his seat, and tapped on the table again, his claws making small clicking sounds.

"Business? Oh well, there's not much business in _Sorgan_ ," she grimaced at that, offering a shrug, "so I can't say..."

The Mandalorian abruptly tossed some credits on the table, and the common house proprietor looked down at it in surprise.

"She doesn't strike me as a log runner, well--" she said, taking the credits with a slightly confused expression, and added: " _Thank you_ , sir. I will get that broth to you as soon as possible, and I will throw in a flagon of spotchka, just for good measure." Smiling brightly at them, she left with the words: "I'll be right back with that."

As she left, Elana propped her elbows up on the table and tilted her head at the Mandalorian.

"What was that about?" Elana asked, frowning in confusion, tense from the presence of the potential bounty hunter.

"I'm thinking that--" he cut himself off, immediately straightening up, "Kriff."

Elana's head whipped around, and she saw that the woman had disappeared.

"Keep an eye on Bean," the Mandalorian told her, and stood up, "I'll be back in a bit."

"As if you need to tell me that," she scoffed, before her hand shot out, and she tapped him on his vambrace, away from any buttons that could trigger those Whistling Birds from Nevarro. The Mandalorian turned around, visor fixed on her.

"How dangerous is she?" Elana asked, ready to grab Bean and run.

"Hopefully, she's not a hunter," he replied, "Be on your guard, but stay here."

"Be careful," she said quietly, looking up at him. He nodded once, and left the common house in a couple of strides.

Bean tilted his head at Elana, furrowing his brows as he looked after the Mandalorian.

"He's coming back in a minute," she told Bean, and he whined a bit, ears lowering.

"We can go help him if he is not back after five minutes. I don't understand why you like him so much," she teased the little one, a wry smile on her face, "Is it because he's shiny?"

Bean cooed just as the proprietor set down two mugs of bone broth on their table.

"Say, where has that warrior gone?" With a bright smile to Elana, she wiped her hands on her skirt.

"He wanted to check something out," Elana said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, you have a lovely child," the woman said, slightly bowing so she could get a better look at the baby.

Elana beamed, and reached out to help Bean with the drinking, "Thank you!"

"What's his name, dear?"

"Oh, it's Bean," she said, and as if he understood her, he let out a loud squeak, ears raised high up. The woman laughed, and settled a hand on her shoulder.

"Wishing you all the best luck with baby Bean," she said, "It's good to see people travelling with their little ones." With those words, she walked away. Elana stared after her, frowning in confusion. Did she think that Mando and her were--

"Hey, hey, hey-hey, where are you going?" Elana asked Bean as he made an attempt to get down. He took his bone broth into his hand, and jumped down from his stool, ignoring her protests. "Bean? Where are you going?"

Waddling towards the entrance, carefully looking at the contents of the mug so he would not spill any, Bean made a straight line for the curtain.

Curious, Elana followed him, a furrow appearing between her eyebrows. Bean had never done that before, simply running off without saying anything. Across the bond she could feel him tugging her along, as if he wanted to show her something.

"Okay, I'm coming," Elana said and rolled her eyes as he let out an impatient squeak, looking over his shoulder as if to see if she was following.

Exiting the common house, they rounded a corner, Bean waddling confidently with his cup in his hands, towards sounds of... _fighting?_ A scuffle between the tents, announced by grunts and hits and dull thumps.

Taking a few more steps, Elana saw two figures wrestling on the ground, and her first instinct was to grab Bean, turn tail and get the hell out of there. But when she recognized the Mandalorian and the staring woman from before, she paused.

_Looks like she had found where the Mandalorian had gone._

Should she help? And if yes, then how?

Their movements were almost too fast to follow; They rolled around, trading punches and hits before pointing blasters at each other almost at the same time, sprawled in the dirt. There was a beat, and Bean chose exactly that beat to slurp loudly from his bone broth, attracting the brawler's attention.

Elana suppressed a snort at the timing, but was still wary of the other woman, ready to snatch the little child up and run. Was she another bounty hunter? Would she threaten Bean? What would happen now? Elana wished she had some kind of blaster, if only to help her temporary companion out.

The Mandalorian's visor trained on Bean first, then on her, and he let out a sigh, looking at the other woman. "You want some soup?"

With that question, Elana relaxed. If he was inviting the other one to eat with them, she must not be a bounty hunter, or at least not a threat. Right?

The woman let out a sharp bark of a laugh, and shook her head incredulously, holstering her blaster. "Yeah," she huffed, "I'll have some. Why not?" Grunting as she pushed herself up from the ground, she extended an arm for the Mandalorian to take, a peace offer and help in a single gesture, and chuckled under her breath.

Elana stared at the woman in front of her, actually taking in the details of her appearance. She was gorgeous, had dark hair, tan skin, fierce eyes, broad shoulders and enough muscles to bench press the Mandalorian with all the beskar on without breaking a sweat. Elana was a little envious, to be honest.

"Best fight I've had in a while, Mando," she said, a bright grin on her face, and slapped him on the shoulder approvingly.

He gave a grunt, and shook his head. "A rebel shock trooper, huh? I recognise your stripes," he said.

The woman laughed, and flexed the arm with the band of thick stripes tattooed across her skin. "And here I thought the starbird would give me away."

Glancing at Elana, she winked at her, showcasing the tiny starbird tattoo under her eye, and she felt her heart stop. Was that a--?

"That too," the Mandalorian sighed.

She grinned broadly, "The name's Cara Dune," she introduced herself.

"This is Bean," Elana said faintly, pointing to the child who was waddling towards the Mandalorian again.

"Fits him like a glove," Cara commented, eyes sparkling, "and you?"

"Elana Lissiri," she said while her eyes were fixed on the tiny tattoo, and she held out her hand. The woman grabbed it and shook it firmly.

"Lissiri, huh? That's a name I haven't heard--" Cara cut herself off, and stared at her. Elana could see the tattoo better now, and it was indeed a Tear, which made her heart clench. She also noticed the braid in Cara's hair, the way it was fashioned. If she wanted to keep her hair out of her face, it would have been braided differently, but like this, it's a _mourning braid._

Judging by the way Cara's gaze was lingering on her own hair, she must have spotted her own mourning braid as well.

"Where are you from?" Cara asked, staring intensely at her, eyes burning.

"Alderaan," she whispered, and the other woman's jaw dropped, brows raising. "Is that a… a Tear?" Elana dared to ask, heart beating fast.

Cara's face cracked in a wide grin, sorrow in her eyes. "Yes, it is, sister," she said, and before she knew it, she was enveloped in an embrace by the taller woman, "I'm from Alderaan as well."

Elana hugged back, feeling herself being lifted a bit when Cara squeezed her tightly, and she could not help but laugh, eyes burning fiercely, a sob bubbling up in her chest, and it was with herculean effort that she did not give in to that urge. She could count the number of times she had met another Alderaanian after the initial protests on Coruscant on one hand, and her heart hurt so much that she had to reign in herself as to not to cry.

"Should we leave you to it?" The Mandalorian asked, standing respectfully at the side. His impressive appearance was slightly diminished by the pine needles all over his cape and the baby babbling at his feet, raising his arms at him, the cup of bone broth sitting forgotten on the ground.

Elana had to huff in amusement at the sight, and nodded. "Yes, we'll come in a minute," she said, "Take Bean with you?"

He nodded, and somehow clumsily took Bean into his arms, grabbing the mug, and disappearing with a swish of his cape.

Cara and Elana looked at each other, and she knew that the other woman could relate to her like only a few others in the galaxy could. Alderaan was like a dull, throbbing wound that could never truly heal, the loneliness making it ache the most... Others might have their cultures and customs to cling on after losing their homes and families, but with no one _left_ \-- except for a handful of strangers -- it hurt like a knife twisted inside.

"I'm sorry," Elana choked out, not knowing what else she could say. Cara smiled thinly, and gave her a clap on the shoulder.

"As am I," she said quietly, eyes shining with unshed tears, jaw clenching, "Good to see you out here."

"What brought you to Sorgan?" Elana asked, blinking fast as to not to cry, and with an unspoken cue, they both switched the topic entirely, pushing the sad thoughts away.

"Early retirement," Cara said, straightening up, and gave her a confident smile that looked more and more comfortable on her the longer she wore it, "It's peaceful. And you?"

"On the run," Elana chose to say, shrugging, careful with her words, "Trying to find a place to stay safe."

"With that Mando?"

_In a sense, yes._

"Yeah." Feeling her lips quirk up in a wry smile, Elana made a _What can you do_ gesture, and the other woman nodded thoughtfully.

"I understand, can't blame you, with the little one. So," Cara said, eyeing Elana with a sly look, a grin making its way onto her face, "You do it rough?"

Elana blinked, taken aback. "I beg your pardon?"

Cara gestured to her, and then pointed to her own wrist and throat. With heat creeping up her face, Elana became very aware of the bruises on her neck from the market's bounty hunter who choked her, and the bruises around her arm and wrist, and peeking out at her collarbone where she got thrown around. Elana immediately curled into herself, trying to hide them from Cara's view.

"I mean I don't judge but that's a bit too kinky even by my standards--"

Mind reeling at the implication that Cara thought _that she and the Mandalorian were together_ , Elana missed the way Cara's face suddenly became stony, with an eyebrow cocked.

"What--" she tried to say, but Cara cut her off: "Sweetie, if he is mistreating you, don't worry, I'll kill him," the other woman said, unblinking.

"Oh no, you got it wr--" Elana tried to say, but Cara grabbed her by her arms, forcing her to look her in the eyes.

"Just say the word, I know I can take him," she said, talking fast and hushed. "You can take your child and run, I can help with the money until you can get off this planet," Cara urged, face set in worry.

Elana's brain scrambled to keep up. "No!" She said, face burning, "no, you got it wrong!"

The dark haired woman scrutinised her, face soft, "Are you sure? No need to defend him if he's a piece of shit."

"Yes, I'm sure," Elana said, and smiled at her, feeling _touched_ that this woman she met only five minutes ago was willing to take up with the Mandalorian because she thought that he had put those bruises on her.

"Me and Bean were caught in a scuffle with another bounty hunter," Elana explained, and Cara sighed in visible relief, shoulders slumping.

"The Mandalorian is a… kind man," she also decided to say, and it was the truth. He might have raised his blaster at her and done some questionable things, but he had never actively hurt them and did his best to keep them from harm.

"All right," Cara said, looking convinced, before putting on a smile, "Don't hesitate though, sweetie, I can kick his ass."

"I don't doubt that for a second," Elana huffed, as they started to walk back the way they came from, "You handed him well enough."

Cara gave Elana a grim smile, tilted her head, and they entered the common house again. Elana instantly saw the Mandalorian and Bean at the table, the child babbling and patting on the table while the bounty hunter nodded at him, as if attentively listening.

Cara scoffed and shook her head. "He's good with the kid."

Elana chewed on the inside of her lip, silently agreeing. The Mandalorian _was_ good with Bean, had been from the beginning. "Yeah," she found herself whispering, a small smile on her face when the Mandalorian quickly held out a hand to steady one of the mugs Bean almost toppled in his excitement, "Yeah, he really is."

"How did you even meet?" Cara suddenly asked, turning her head to Elana.

Her mind went empty. How to begin to explain? _Bean was his bounty and he dragged us through half Arvala-7, then gave us away to Imperials and got us back?_

"Um, I fired a blaster at him," was what Elana said instead, and it was not _wrong_ , to be honest. There was just no need to tell her the entire story, which would take way too long and was overly complicated anyways.

The shock trooper laughed, and slapped her on the back, making her stumble. "Really?" Cara said, "that must have taken courage to do, to just shoot at that tin can."

"Yeah," Elana said faintly, "something like that."

They sat down at the table, the cups of bone broth in the middle, and the taller woman waved at the proprietor, and asked for a bowl as well. Turning around, the grin on Cara's face was big enough to split her face in two. "So, Mando," she said, "What brings you to Sorgan?"

"A run-in with the Guild," he said, leaning his vambrace on the table.

"Some problems, huh? Does that have anything to do with these two here?

"Something like that," the Mandalorian said vaguely, his posture closed off, "We're laying low for a while."

"Then you've come to the right place," Cara scoffed, and thanked the proprietor when she set down a big bowl with a smile.

"What about you?" Elana asked, sipping at her own cup.

"Saw most of my action mopping up after Endor," she said, shrugging slightly, "mostly ex-Imperial warlords. They wanted it fast and quiet." She made a pause, looking down, before continuing: "They'd send us in on the drop ships. No support, just us. Then when the Imps were gone, the politics started. We were peacekeepers, protecting delegates, suppressing riots." Elana frowned at the disdain on Cara's face, but did not ask. It was both not her place and not her business.

"Not what I signed up for," the shock trooper concluded wryly, raising an eyebrow at them.

"How'd you end up here?" The Mandalorian asked.

"Let's just call it an early retirement," Cara repeated her earlier words, taking a sip out of her bowl. "Look, I knew you were Guild. I figured you had a fob on me. That's why I came at you so hard." Her voice held a hint of a justification, but her tone was still unapologetic.

"Yeah, that's what I figured," the Mandalorian said, voice dry.

"Well, this has been a real treat," Cara said while glancing at Bean, and gave Elana a smile, before continuing, "But unless you wanna go another round, one of us is gonna have to move on, and I was here first."

She finished her soup and set the bowl down, opening her arms to Elana, who quickly stood up, and embraced her.

"Take care of yourself, sister," Cara said, thumping a hand on her back, "You know where to find me if you need anything."

Elana hugged her a bit tighter. "Thank you," she said, "Until our paths cross?"

Letting her go, and looking her in the eyes, Cara smiled brightly, "Until our paths cross." With a last wink at Bean, she turned and walked away.

The baby squeaked and waved behind her, but Cara did not turn around anymore. Feeling choked up, Elana sat down on the table, avoiding the gaze of the Mandalorian on her.

"I didn't know you were from Alderaan," he said, voice surprisingly quiet, "I'm sorry."

She blinked, feeling her eyes burn but refusing to cry once again. "You could not have known, Mandalorian. I didn't tell you," she said, a small smile on her face as she turned, and looked him in the face. Bean cooed loudly, and her smile widened at the sight of him, hands wrapped around his broth bowl, ears perked high.

"Well," the Mandalorian said, visor trained on Bean, and it almost sounded like he was smiling, "looks like this planet's taken."

"Onto the next one?" Elana asked, chewing the inside of her lip.

"Looks like," he said, and she could not help but feel disappointed.

Truth to be told, from what she had seen thus far, this planet seemed peaceful, and the Mandalorian was right that they would probably be able to lay low for an extended amount of time on here. It was not violent or overcrowded, the air was clear and the forest they had walked through, beautiful. It would have been the perfect place to wind down after the mess with the Imperials, let Bean explore a new planet, maybe help her and the Mandalorian work out an agreement on how they would proceed.

Maybe they could find someone who was able to scramble the biometric signature of the little one. Maybe they would need to buy expensive deflectors so the chance of a hunter finding them would be lower. When the Mandalorian will inadvertently leave them on another planet, she would definitely have to sign up for some kind of self-defense class that was long overdue. She would probably need to learn how to shoot, and maybe ask around if someone knew what kind of species Bean belongs to.

If what the Mandalorian had said was real, that Bean was actually fifty years old, she would not be able to care for him forever. Maybe she could find his home planet and hopefully they would let her stay, or at least visit the little one from time to time.

Bean slurped loudly at his broth again, evidently finishing it with a content noise and a smile on his lips. "You're good?" Elana asked, "Do you want another bowl?"

He patted his belly, cooed, and tilted his head to the side, ears flopping.

She squinted at him. "Does that mean yes?"

Elana searched the bond and sighed at what she found. "Glutton," she said fondly, before turning to the Mandalorian. "He wants to eat some more."

"Sure," the bounty hunter sighed, the sound crackling through the modulator. Giving a sign to the proprietor, she quickly came over, and got the bowl to refill it.

"Thank you," Elana told the Mandalorian, and gave him a small smile. He turned his helmet at her before nodding slightly, saying: "No problem."

It was silent between them, the only noise was Bean slurping from the bowl, and Elana occasionally reached over to support the child in drinking. She downed her own long gone cold broth as well. "Do you want some food as well? Pack up some to go?" Elana asked after Bean finished, and the Mandalorian shook his head.

"I'm good," he says, "Let's see if we can find a market." He stood up, and went over to pay for the food while Elana got Bean ready for departure, picking him up when he raised his little hands at her, giving her a loud coo.

She made the coo back, and Bean giggled at that, the sound unfailing in making her smile.

They left the common house, and with a few directions from the owner, they made their way to the market that was supposed to be only a few minutes away.

The Mandalorian led them on a straightforward path, the modifications in his helmet probably helping him quickly locate the market from where they were. Arriving at the few stalls pushed together, she had to suppress a slight snort.

"A market, huh?" Elana whispered to the Mandalorian, and he huffed in response. "No starports, remember?"

They quickly made a few purchases, most of them being food and some necessities, and they were able to buy a few frozen frogs, one of them promptly swallowed by the excited and wriggling Bean, the broth apparently not filling enough for the little one. Elana and the Mandalorian exchanged a look at the loud burp Bean made, and shook their heads.

"Say thank you," Elana told the little green child, and he warbled something approximate, smiling brightly at the tall man. Giving them a nod, he started off, carrying the crate with their purchases seemingly effortlessly.

Looking after his retreating figure, she smiled down at Bean on her hip. "We have some frogs for later on, when we're in space again," she said, and the baby cooed, gently nuzzling her side with his button nose. Elana hoisted Bean up a bit higher, and with a last glance at the little market, she went after the Mandalorian, catching up as they made their way back to the _Razor Crest_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D  
> 


	13. The Villagers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a job for the Mandalorian that requires the backup of a certain shock trooper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you all had a happy new year, even if it was a few days ago already...  
> I've hit a slight slump in the overall Sorgan Arc (or the second arc of Ven) but I can assure you that while working to get over that slump I have drafted out the rest of this story up to the Season Two Finale in detail, so the story is basically finished in everything but... uh... writing it out lmao (I'm working on it promise)  
> Thank you for reading!! And enjoy the chapter!!
> 
> Warnings: uhh this time I think there are none, mentions of death and canon typical violence, some ~unpure~ thoughts, otherwise all fluff and nice interactions, sum relationship building and mutual Respect

Following the Mandalorian, who was walking back in the direction of the _Razor Crest_ , Elana jogged a bit to catch up with the fast pace he set. This time, she did not let Bean wander, so they covered ground much faster as the sun started to set, the golden light streaming through the trees.

"It's beautiful here," she said absentmindedly, staring at the lush foliage, listening to the birds and insects chirp, the smell of damp earth like a balm for her soul. The Mandalorian grunted in a noncommittal manner, and readjusted the crate in his arms.

It took some time until they arrived at the _Crest_ , the silver metal reflecting in the sunlight, and the bounty hunter put the crate down before opening up the ramp.

"Stretch your legs before we're in deep space again," he said, and gestured to Bean. "Let the baby run a bit, tire himself out."

Elana shot him a smile before setting Bean down.

"Yell if you need help, okay?" Bean smiled at her, ears twitching, before waddling off, making his way to a flower with cream coloured petals. The Mandalorian picked up the crate again and went into the ship, Elana trailing after him.

Making a mental note of where he secured it, she grabbed some ration bars for the three of them and began to open the packets.

Waiting until the Mandalorian turned around to her, she offered it to him. "You haven't eaten all day," she said, "Don't think I did not notice."

He huffed, the air crackling in the modulator, and took the offered bar. "You would think that watching Bean would be enough work."

Elana raised her eyebrows at him, unsure if it was a dig at her or he was trying to joke around.

"I _do_ only have two beings to keep me company," she said dryly, "You tend to notice things when you're in close quarters."

He said nothing to that, and with a last tentative smile, she turned around and left the ramp, determined to soak up some of the fading sunlight and breathe in the fresh air before they took off again. Joining Bean in the high grass, guided by the curious tendrils of Bean's consciousness, Elana sat down next to him and watched with amusement as he clumsily tried to catch a hayhopper. 

The grass swayed slightly in the breeze, and she let out a long sigh, feeling the tension leave her. It had been so long since she could just sit down and enjoy the sun. 

Bean fell over with a loud _twack_ after he did a big lunge, and she automatically reached out for him before gauging his reaction. He did not cry, but gave a small sniffle before scurrying to her and climbing into her lap.

"Mwa," he said, and buried his nose into her side. She gently traced his ears, closed her eyes and held her face into the sun. He stayed there a while, shifting every few moments, before starting to move once more. Elana helped him by grabbing his sides and set him on the ground again. He took off, having found something else to play with, his fall long forgotten. 

They stayed until Bean tired himself out and fell asleep bundled in a grass patch, snoring loudly. Elana took him carefully and went to the _Crest_ again.

"Hey," she greeted the Mandalorian in a hushed voice, not wanting to wake Bean whose snores were rattling his little frame. The bounty hunter was busy with repairs on something in the landing gear of the ship, tools scattered around him, "Need some help?"

He gave a grunt from the inside of the ship, maneuvering his upper body out of the hatch, and looked at them.

"I'm good," he said, and gave a nod, "I'll just finish this up and we can go. Should not take longer than a few hours."

"I'll make food?" Elana offered, "And I'll get Bean into his box, all right?"

The Mandalorian made a hum, and nodded, before burying himself into the hatch again. With a last look at his figure, Elana ascended the ramp into the dark _Crest_ , fumbling blindly for the light switch. Getting to the cubicle, she tugged the padded box out, careful so it would not scrape too loudly, and placed Bean in it. Tucking the edges of the blankets into his sides and putting the silver ball in the upper corner so he could play with it when he woke up, she pressed a small kiss onto his head. 

"Sleep well, sweetpea," she whispered, before closing the cubicle and getting to work on some tidying up. 

Elana still had not managed to get everything baby-proofed yet and it was an ongoing process. Everything at Bean-height had to be examined, no sharp edges or buttons that he should not touch, and it had to be padded out or some mechanism had to be installed that only the adults could unlock. The biggest problem was the weapon drawer, what with the little murder child trying to look at the blasters as often as possible. Even after the Mandalorian had changed the combination, it often happened that Elana only had to leave him out of her sights for a _second_ and the door was open again.The Mandalorian had put in a big sheet of curved metal that was tall enough to stop Bean climbing into the drawer, so they just had to be careful of him trying to get a weapon down.

After Elana left food where the Mandalorian could see it, she busied herself with trying to get the outdated holopad connected to the holonet, since it would be easier if she could look up more information on the planets they would land on and keep up with galactic news. Even though the navigational system displayed the most important data already and star ports usually had an informational center, she would have liked to have the facts and know more about local flora and fauna that may be dangerous to Bean. 

It did not work, much to Elana's frustration, so she settled on a nap next to Bean, the cubicle cramped, but she fit, sitting upright against the end of the small space. Taking him out of his box so it would be more comfortable, Elana sat Bean in her lap, and after a ship-rattling snore that had her trying to suppress her laughter, he snuggled into her and continued to snooze. 

She did not fall asleep, but she closed her eyes and rested a bit, waiting for the takeoff as soon as the Mandalorian finished. Between the occasional noises of the bounty hunter working, and the sounds of the forest, it was easily the safest she had felt since what felt like... forever.

When she heard voices _talking_ , though, she was on high alert again.

Two farmers were trying to contract the Mandalorian for work, and if the unenthusiastic responses the bounty hunter graced them with were any indication, they did not have high chances of success.

The Mandalorian stepped onto the ramp, before turning around, and facing them.

"Where do you live?" The Mandalorian asked, and Elana stared at his form, waiting with bated breath to hear what would happen now. The man did not do anything without a reason, and this? This should be very interesting, indeed.

"At a farm," she could hear one of the men say in a dejected voice, "Weren't you listening? We're farmers."

"In the middle of nowhere," the bounty hunter stated, and turned his helmet slightly towards her, as if to ensure that she was still there. Unsure what to do, she shifted closer to the edge of the cubicle, conked out Bean in her arms, and leaned against the cubicle wall, waiting for what would happen next.

"Yes…?" The man sounded confused.

"You have lodging?" The Mandalorian was pressing now, a hint of impatience in his voice as he fully turned around and looked at her, impassive helmet blank and with no indication of what was going through his mind.

The farmer replied, voice hopeful: "Yeah. Absolutely."

 _What do you think?_ Elana mouthed silently at him, offering an one-shouldered shrug. The Mandalorian slightly tilted his head, before he let out a long sigh.

"Good," he said, "Come up and help."

He walked into the hull of the _Crest_ and picked up one of the crates stacked there. Elana fully stood up and angled her body to the side so she would be shielding Bean from sight as the two men ascended the ramp. Their eyes widened when they took her in, and gave her a friendly nod.

"Good evening, ma'am," one of them said while the other gave a slightly nervous smile, eyes darting between her and the Mandalorian.

"Evening," she said as friendly as she could, smiling at them as she relaxed. If the Mandalorian would let them into the ship, and if they were unarmed, she would not have to fear for Bean. The baby let out a slight whine in that moment, and started to wriggle around, so Elana had to readjust him. Bean woke up, and slowly blinked at the two newcomers, whose eyes were big like saucers. The Mandalorian hoisted the crate into the arms of one of the men, and the farmer staggered slightly under the heavy weight. Then he turned around and gave the other man a basket.

"Load these up," the bounty hunter commanded, and the farmers scrambled to follow his order. 

The Mandalorian turned to her and Bean cooed loudly, stretching a hand out to him, making grabby hands. The Mandalorian held up a finger so Bean could tug on it. Elana had to hide a smile at the delighted squeak Bean made and the heavy sigh that crackled through the modulator.

"Womp rat," the Mandalorian said, and it almost sounded fond.

"Don't call him that," Elana scolded lightly, "He has a good normal name you can use."

The Mandalorian turned his head to her, and it was astonishing how he managed to convey incredulity through the beskar helmet.

"His name is _Bean_ ," he said.

She scowled at him.

"What would _you_ have called him, then?" Elana challenged.

The Mandalorian said nothing, just shook his head and opened the weapons drawer, getting an empty crate. After he gathered all the weapons he needed (Elana silently taking stock of what he actually took), he made to go down the ramp.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

He shook his head, and tossed a "Watch Bean" over his shoulder as he left the ship. As he left, one of the farmers entered the hull again. He smiled at her, clearly uncomfortable.

"Hello," she decided to greet him, sending him a smile, "I'm Elana."

"I'm Stoke," he introduced himself, before pointing at Bean, a curious look on his face, "Is that, y'know, your child?"

She raised her brows, confused by the question. "Yes?"

The other farmer came in as well, giving her a nod, before pointing to himself. "I'm Caben," he said and she repeated her name, doing her best to offer them a friendly face since they were probably intimidated by the Mandalorian. She could relate all too well.

Stoke nodded in understanding, a big smile on his face, and asked: "So he's the reason you're looking for lodging?"

Bean cooed loudly, little claws fisting in her clothes, trying to get a better look at the newcomers.

"Exactly," Elana said, distracted with loosening the tight hold of Bean on her, "we're trying to lay low."

"What's his name?" Caben asked, crunching his nose playfully at Bean, who pointed at him and gave a loud coo.

"Oh, he's Bean," she said, and angled him so they would be able to see him better.

"He would have a blast with our village, then," Stoke said, nudging Caben excitedly, "We have many children, and they would all love to have another playmate."

Remembering the way Bean warmed up so quickly when playing with Jawa children on Arvala-7, Elana had to smile. It would be wonderful to see a sight like that again, him around other children, just being able to play. Even though she entertained him a lot, Elana knew that she could not replace the company of other children, and with only the Mandalorian and her in the _Razor Crest_ , Bean was practically under the constant scrutiny of adults.

"That would be nice," she whispered, slightly bopping Bean, and smiled at him. "Did you hear, honey? They have a lot of people to play with you." Bean blinked at her slowly, tilted his head, and made a coo.

"Get those crates," the Mandalorian gruffly called up, and both Caben and Stoke flinched, jerking into motion.

Hiding a smile at the frantic flurry of limbs that followed, Elana returned to the cubicle, sat Bean down in it, and grabbed her backpack. She quickly filled it with their clothes, got the little bag of toiletries from the fresher, and it did not take long until she was finished.

When she stepped out of the small space, the Mandalorian was standing in front of Bean, a finger held out sternly.

"Don't even think about running around without your caretaker," he said, and Bean gurgled, which the Mandalorian only sighed in response to. 

She stepped closer, and looked at what was happening. Bean was trying to tug at his finger again, and the bounty hunter just sighed again.

"No," he said with a stern voice, but it was not quite enough for Bean to listen.

Elana decided to help out.

"Honey, he said no," she told the baby in a firm voice, and the Mandalorian made space for her to pick Bean up, "if he says something, you gotta listen."

The Mandalorian was quiet for a bit before he cleared his throat and left without a word, probably collecting the last things that needed to be brought to the village.

Bean then raised his arms towards her in the universal command of _uppy_ , which she followed with a fond tug on her lips. 

"We'll stay here a bit," Elana told him. "This planet is a nice one to stay at, wait and see."

Her backpack in place, the baby secured on her hip, she descended the ramp and headed right to the sled where the cargo was already piled up. A big part of the sled was cleared so they could sit on it. Caben was fiddling with the navigation pad on the side, and shot her a wide smile as he looked up.

"You make yourself comfortable with the little one," he said, "He must be tired from the long day, huh?"

Bean cooed, and rested his face against her side, giving the man a shy smile. Caben scrunched his nose at him again, making the baby giggle.

"How far away is your village?" Elana asked, settling down onto the sled, scooting towards the back.

"Oh, it'll take the whole night, at least, and some of the morning," Caben said, "We could be arriving around midday? Should be that."

Elana took out the blanket and made Bean a little nest on the right side of the sled, right against a crate so he would not roll down while sleeping. "How did you even find the ship?"

"Oh, our Omera spotted it. She's a wonderful woman, that one," Stoke piped in, "She and her daughter will make you feel welcome in no time at all."

The Mandalorian put down the last crate with a quiet grunt. "We can go now," he said, before he pressed a few buttons on his vambrace. The _Razor Crest_ started to whirr as the ramps hissed and lifted, and ground protection protocols set up.

"I'm gonna need one more thing," the Mandalorian suddenly ordered, holding out a hand to the farmers. "Give me those credits."

"Why?"

The bounty hunter was quiet, before turning his head towards Elana, giving her a slight tilt of the helmet.

"I have someone in mind to help with those raiders. One fighter more cannot hurt" he said, and when she realised what he meant, she could not help the smile that flitted across her face.

"Cara?" Elana asked, to be sure.

He nodded, and Bean made a loud coo, picking up on her excitement.

"Who is that?" Stoke asked, exchanging a look with Caben, their faces set into frowns.

"She'll make a fine addition," the Mandalorian said, and took the credits pouch, "I'll be right back."

Bean waved behind him as the bounty hunter disappeared into the woods, cooing loudly, but he did not turn around. Elana settled into the sled some more, getting comfortable while Caben and Stoke muttered between themselves.

"We don't have enough money to pay someone else as well," she could hear one of them hiss before they turned to her.

"Who is this Cara?" Caben asked.

Elana shrugged slightly. "We met her today, she and the Mandalorian got into a fight before she had lunch with us," was what she settled on, the full story perhaps a little too absurd. "She is a pretty good brawler from what I've seen, so she would be a help with those raiders you mentioned."

Stoke hummed, before he shrugged his shoulders. "Well," he said, "The Mandalorian is getting her already, no changing that."

Caben settled onto the sled, and she turned slightly, so she could have eye contact with both of the men. "Those raiders have stolen our harvest for years now," the man said, face set into a deep frown, "They always appear out of nowhere, destroy what they can, and _poof_ ", he made a gesture at that, "they're gone again."

"Have they taken any of the villagers with them?"

Stoke shook his head. "Nah, they only seem to be interested in the krill and some of our food. Maybe they are too lazy to hunt even though there is plenty of game on Sorgan."

Elana hesitated, before asking: "Have they killed anyone during a raid?"

She needed to know on what scale those raiders were, if they were only stealing or actively slaughtering them, because if it was the latter, she would have to talk to the Mandalorian about the danger they could put Bean in. Elana had no desire to have Bean killed by raiders just after they escaped Nevarro and the bounty hunters that followed.

The farmer's faces turned to stone, and it told her everything she needed to know.

"They got Lukan, the husband of Omera, about a year back," Stoke said gravely, "An Elder was killed as well when she got in the way, but other than that there was no one."

 _Two people. Two people in what was implied to be years of constant raids._ Elana took a deep breath, looking down at Bean, who gave her a soft coo, little claws patting at her leg.

She could work with that. And with the Mandalorian helping to keep an eye on the baby, hopefully Bean would be safe.

"All right," she said, biting down on her lip, deep in thought, "so they don't explicitly go after the villagers?"

They nodded. "They just grab the krill baskets and run, even though they don't mind getting a bit aggressive," Caben said.

"And at this point we are hiding everytime they appear, so we'll stay out of their way."

Elana nodded thoughtfully, and was about to say more when the Mandalorian appeared again, Cara close behind him.

The shock trooper gave her a blinding beam, and laughed. "Fancy seeing you again," she said, leaning into the sled to offer her hand. Elana grabbed it, heart feeling light at seeing the other woman again, and gave her an appreciative nod.

"Our paths crossed again sooner than I thought," Elana said, smiling brightly.

Cara snorted, and looked to the Mandalorian, before shrugging. "Gotta see if I can kick his ass again."

The dark haired woman then nodded at the farmers, face friendly but fairly neutral.

"Name's Cara Dune," she said, and after a short introductory round got onto the sled, on the right of Elana. Bean cooed loudly and scampered over her lap, getting a better look at the newcomer.

The woman laughed and poked him gently into the belly, making him coo. "Shouldn't you be snoozing right now, little man?" Cara asked, before looking at Elana expectantly.

She just shrugged, "Do you think he would be sleeping with all this racket?"

The Mandalorian got onto the sled as well, settling down on her left, and Caben and Stoke started the mechanism.

"I don't know, it is pretty late," Cara pointed out, "We don't want him to be grumpy tomorrow."

Elana frowned slightly at that, not liking the tone in the other woman's voice. "He won't be a bother," she said quietly in a neutral manner, "Bean is a very well behaved baby." As if to support her point, Bean cooed with raised ears, and grabbed at her arm. Elana pulled the baby onto her lap, wrapping her arms around him as he snuggled into her, button nose pushing into her collarbone.

The Mandalorian hummed in agreement. "She's right," he said, putting an arm over the edge of the cart, and tilted his helmet towards her. Elana shot him a small smile, before looking at Cara again, who was holding up her palms in defense.

"No need to go mama bear on me," she laughed, "I'll trust your word."

It was silent between them for a bit, Elana gently rubbing Bean's back to get him to sleep while Cara looked into the woods. She tilted her head, before she started to speak again. "So, what's the job?"

Elana raised an eyebrow at her. "You accepted before knowing what it is?"

"This skughole is not exciting enough for me to pass up a Mandalorian's offer, if you get what I mean," Cara said. "And if he wants another pair of hands..."

She trailed off, looking at the Mandalorian expectantly, waiting for him to elaborate.

"The krill farmers have a problem with raiders," the Mandalorian said, voice low, "We get there, take a look, and keep them away."

Cara raised her brows. "And the payment is what you've given me?"

He tilted his head, and his fingers twitched slightly. "Don't forget shelter," he reminded her.

The shock trooper scoffed, "So we're basically running off a band of raiders for lunch money?"

"They're quartering us is in the middle of nowhere," the Mandalorian repeated his point, "last I checked that's a pretty square deal for somebody in your position."

Cara gave him a wry look, and pulled her shoulders up. Elana watched how the Mandalorian gave an almost imperceptible sigh, before continuing.

"Worst case scenario, you tune up your blaster. Best case, we're a deterrent," he pointed out. "I can't imagine there's anything living in these trees that an ex-shock trooper couldn't handle."

He was appealing to Cara's ego, Elana noted, and could not help but be impressed at how fast he had clocked the type of person Cara Dune was, how fast he knew which buttons to press. But to be fair, that was what he made his living on. And he had applied that skill to her as well, only that it did not take eyes to see that her biggest button was Bean.

Cara huffed a smile and settled back, like the Mandalorian did.

And maybe it was the angle she was sitting at, maybe it was the low light reflecting off the silver armour, but the way the bounty hunter settled back, like a lazy feline, slightly spreading his legs as he sprawled across his side of the cart made something drop in her stomach. 

The sight was captivating, and she instinctively lowered her eyes and shifted away, feeling her cheeks burn. What was _wrong_ with her?

Focusing her awareness on Bean, she watched as he leaned back as well, mimicking the Mandalorian with a content coo, big eyes watching the stars through the treetops overhead, his little face filled with wonder at the glittering and sparkly sight above them.

Elana scooted down as well, pulled a blanket over herself and tucked the blue fabric into Bean's side. She tried to fall asleep but it was like her brain decided to play those two seconds of the bounty hunter laying back on loop, and after an intense smacking at the lizard part of her brain, Elana managed to get it out of her head. Still, it took a while until her eyes drifted shut and sleep overtook her, her last impression being Bean snuggling into her side.

~

When Elana woke up the next day, Caben and Stoke were chatting in a low voice, handling a thermos of caf between them. They were still in the woods, the tall trees around them comforting, the sky an early morning pale blue with a few wispy cloud trails breaking up the colour. 

Elana sat, careful not to dislodge the baby lying on his back, sprawled like a starfish while he wheezed adorably, and tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ear. It seemed like her braid had loosened overnight, so after a quiet "good morning" at the farmers, for which she received a friendly smile from both of them, she started to work on combing out her hair and getting it out of her face. As she finished up the braid, the Mandalorian woke up. Grunting deep in his throat, he sat up straight, and rolled out his head and his shoulders with a quiet hiss. 

Feeling her eyes widen at the tiny, _tiny_ slip of chin she could see under his helmet as he tilted his head back, she quickly looked down, tucking the last strands in and out of the way, praying that he had not noticed it. 

"Morning," he said, voice low and raspy from sleep, helmet tilted towards her. Elana just offered him a nod and a flash of a smile as her hair _finally_ cooperated and did not dislodge even when she shook her head slightly, testing how secure it was. The Mandalorian's helmet then tilted towards the shock trooper and he slightly kicked the outside of her leg.

With a loud groan, Cara opened her eyes and kicked right back. "Kark off, Mando," she murmured, "I'm sleeping."

"Not anymore," was his dry reply, which made Elana stifle a snort. "Get up, soldier."

"You owe me, bucket head," Cara said, groaning again, "I was having a nice dream."

The Mandalorian gave something that could have been a laugh, "About what?"

"Not seeing that bucket," Cara snarked, sitting up and glancing at Elana.

"Looking good, mama," she said, giving her a smirk, "Slept well?"

Elana playfully gestured towards the sleeping Bean, "I always sleep well when he doesn't wake me up in the middle of the night."

"Ugh, I don't envy you parents at all," Cara said with raised brows, "it sounds like hell."

Giving her a wry look, Elana just shrugged. "The little moments are worth it," she said, and in that moment Bean stirred, rolled over onto his belly, and let out a long whine.

"Grump," Elana murmured fondly, picking him up and setting him on her lap. He settled in, big eyes blinking open slowly as he properly woke up. He gave a delighted coo the moment he saw the Mandalorian, and stretched his arms out to him.

Ignoring the little pang her heart made at the baby obviously favouring the bounty hunter, she raised his brows at him in question. "Want to hold him?"

"Sure," the Mandalorian said, only a note of hesitation in his voice, and Elana set Bean down, who started to waddle towards the man while cooing loudly.

Cara snorted. "He looks good on you," she teased, and Elana had to agree, the sight of Bean sitting on the lap of the Mandalorian somehow seemed right, and the feeling of something clicking into place appeared again, making her squash the little nagging jealousy hiding in the back of her mind. 

Stoke turned around and gave a loud clearing of his throat to alert them to his presence. "We have some bread and fruits, do you want some?"

"Hell yeah," Cara said, propping her elbow up on the edge of the cart. "How much do you have?"

Caben held up a small sack where the outline of several fruits could be seen, and swayed it a bit. "It's not much, but we'll be arriving at the village in a few hours anyways. We'll have lunch there."

Elana turned to the Mandalorian. "Is it alright if we eat?" She knew that he was probably used to people eating around him, but still, the more time she spent in the company of the bounty hunter, the more rude it felt for her to eat when he was unable to.

He just tilted his helmet a bit, and gave her a nod. "Go ahead."

Bean cooed loudly as Caben reached the bag with the food over to Cara, and the shock trooper settled down with a heavy thud again, inspecting what was inside.

There were several big round fruits with a glossy yellow finish on what looked like rather thin skin, looking like it had a high percentage of water. Cara grinned, and took out a knife from her boot with which she cut it open. "You'll like this, it's pretty sweet," the dark haired woman said. 

It was seedless inside, glistening with juice, and she quartered the halves she already had, giving two of them to Elana, and the other two she set right in front of Bean. She took out the other one and cut it open as they started to eat, and Elana was pleasantly surprised at the taste. It was almost too sweet, the kind that would make one's stomach ache if one ate too much, so she instantly took the second half of Bean’s share away, not wanting his tummy to hurt later on. Bean was gnawing at it, his hands becoming covered in juice, apparently liking the flavour, if his enthusiastic smacking was anything to go by.

A water bottle was passed around as well, and she started to feel bad for the Mandalorian, but hopefully they would arrive soon so he could eat something as well. Making a mental note to get a straw or something like that at the next market so he can at least drink, Elana finished the fruit, and wiped her sticky fingers on her pant legs.

"We'll be there in about two hours," Stoke announced, and the Mandalorian acknowledged it with a grunt.

"Great," Cara said, "You guys don't mind if I take a nap again, right?"

The Mandalorian and Elana both shook their heads, and Cara grinned broadly.

"Nice. Now mama," the shock trooper pointed at her, "Please keep the boys in check so they won't wake me."

"Do I look as if I can keep them in check?" Elana asked with raised brows.

"Yeah, you do," Cara said, and shot her a wink. "Thanks, doll, I'll sleep some more now."

With that statement she lied down onto the cart again and closed her eyes.

Bean shuffled towards the edge of the cart and started to watch the trees passing by, apparently fascinated by the new sights that greeted him, and kept pointing out things that grabbed his attention. From flowers to big rocks to a small lizard sunning itself on a stone, the little one was entirely entertained by himself.

Even though the Mandalorian said nothing, Elana suspected that he was taking a nap as well, or at least resting his eyes based on how still he was, hands folded on his middle, and the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Caben and Stoke were talking about something that had happened in another village and Elana half listened to the farmers talking about the trade arrangement they had with them, filing away what they said. Using the time and the little bit of space she had for herself, Elana stretched a bit, loosening her stiff body to pass the time.

When they finally arrived at the village, Elana took in the small huts built in between big ponds with a smile before the cart came to a sudden stop. Turning her head around, she saw that both Cara and the Mandalorian were startled awake, and she turned back lest they saw her amused smile. 

Laughter filled the air and she could see children running towards them, clearly excited to see the cart returning. Caben got down from the cart and wrapped his arms around two little girls who jumped straight into him, while Stoke greeted several of them with high-fives.

The villagers started to appear, all looking at the spectacle arriving. A small gaggle of children immediately gathered around Bean, who was overjoyed with the attention he received right away, the bond flooding with happiness.

"Well, looks like they are happy to see us," the Mandalorian said.

"Looks like," Cara agreed, a smile audible in her voice.

"It's so peaceful," Elana whispered, immediately taking a liking to the village, and she watched with a smile at how a dark haired girl enthusiastically greeted Bean.

The crowd of children around Bean all smiled at him, and Elana wondered when was the last time so many people were happy to see the little one.

The Mandalorian and Cara got off the sled, and many farmers appeared and helped to unload the cargo.

"What should I do?" Elana asked the Mandalorian as he passed her. 

"Just watch Bean, please." 

Elana blinked at how polite he was, and only after he walked away, on the narrow piece of land between the ponds did she realise that she was smiling after him. Bean cooed loudly and tugged at her shirt, pointing after the Mandalorian, face distressed. Realising that he wanted to keep up with him, Elana laughed, and scooped him up.

"Don't worry about losing him, sweetpea," she told him, and got off the cart, the gaggle of children still crowding around them, telling Bean _hi_ , "He's shiny enough we can easily find him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand we have arrived at the village! I hope you liked this chapter! Feedback would be very much appreciated!! I love hearing your thoughts🥺  
> 


	14. The Widow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They take time to properly arrive in the village. Bean makes a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!! You´re getting this new chapter because I turn 20 today!! And this is my "Birthday Gift" to all of you.  
> Your continued interest and enthusiasm for this story is absolutely amazing to me, I cherish every single interaction with you, and the kudos count for Ven??? Never in a million years did I expect for so many people to like this. Thank you so much for reading!!
> 
> Warnings: none, though Bean is an apex predator and we should not forget that

Moving away from the cart, glancing at the various ponds and carefully minding the other people milling around her, Elana looked around the village. Bean was on her hip and she searched for the hut a villager had directed her to after a quick question on where they would be staying. The Mandalorian was nowhere in sight, but she was sure he would show up soon enough.

Finally finding the right hut after a few pointers, she came face to face with a beautiful woman with smooth tan face, long dark hair braided with blue ribbons, big eyes and a welcoming smile on her face. She set the stack of blankets in her arms onto a small bench, and gave her a friendly nod.

"Hello," she said, "my name is Omera. You're the one travelling with the Mandalorian, right?" _Words travelled fast,_ Elana thought with a slight tilt of her head, and nodded in confirmation. The name the woman had given her sounded familiar, and she realised that this must be the one Caben and Stoke were talking about earlier. "Elana," she replied, smiling as well. Omera's gaze dropped to Bean, who was playing with her shirt, and the other woman positively beamed.

"Oh, you have a little one! I remember when my daughter was as small as they are right now." Slightly bending down, she smiled at Bean, and he cooed, cuddling into Elana's side while stretching out his claws to the other woman. Elana had to chuckle. "He is very curious," she told Omera, and an understanding seemed to pass between them.

"What's his name?"

"He's Bean," Elana said, smiling.

Omera looked delighted. "The name definitely suits him," she said, "He is adorable."

Elana gently rocked Bean. "Did you hear?" she asked him, "Omera thinks you're cute." Bean babbled, and gave her a toothy smile.

"You should let him go out and play some, the children of our village are all very welcoming," the woman said, gently booping Bean's nose while he cooed and held out his hands towards her, trying to grab at her fingers.

"That would be perfect," Elana said, grateful, "Bean has not been around other children much, and with no other playmates on the ship..."

Omera nodded in understanding, and said: "I can have my daughter watching over him, if you want? She is very responsible and loves playing with little ones."

Elana smiled wide and looked at Bean. "You're gonna have many friends now that we're here," she told him, and pressed a kiss onto his head after shifting him in her arms, bringing him up to her face. Omera smiled, "I'll just finish this up real quick, and then I'll leave you to settle in properly."

"Thank you so much," Elana said, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Oh no, we can get another mattress so you can push them together, and I'll bring a crib he can sleep in before it gets dark," Omera said, and worked on pulling up the curtains before securing them.

"That's very kind of you," Elana said.

Omera waved slightly. "Nonsense, you have a little one! I remember when my Winta was that small," she sighed with a wistful note, "I would not want those sleepless nights back but..." Omera smiled down on Bean, "sometimes you just miss them being tiny and cute."

Elana saw Omera glance up and instantly freeze, so she turned around as well, taking in the sight of the Mandalorian standing outside the basket hut, crate in hands, his dark silhouette intimidating against the light background.

"Please come in," Omera bade, and it was not clear to Elana if her voice carried hesitation or apprehension. Most likely a mixture of both. The Mandalorian entered, slightly bowing so the rifle slung across his back could fit in as well, and he set the cargo down on the side.

"I hope this is comfortable for you," Omera said, looking at the three of them, "Sorry that all we have is the barn."

"This will do fine," the Mandalorian said in a low voice, not looking at her.

To make up for his dismissive body language, Elana gave Omera a smile and added: "Shelter is shelter, we're not picky." With Bean cooing curiously at her, they must have balanced out the tension in the hut, for Omera's lips twitched upwards.

"I stacked some blankets over there," she said, gesturing to the fabrics she had first set down when Elana walked in.

"Thank you," the bounty hunter said, "That's... very kind."

Elana blinked at the awkwardness in his tone, and could not help her slight eyebrow raise. Before she could add something as well, a little girl appeared in the doorway, and the Mandalorian whirled around, blaster in hand. She flinched at the sudden movement while the girl gave a tiny squeak, quickly hiding outside the door frame.

Elana felt her heart in her throat at the sight of him with his weapon, fighting down the instinctive panic. "Relax," Elana said, voice surprisingly steady as she fixed the Mandalorian with a _look_ until the blaster slowly started to lower.

Omera went out and pulled the little girl into sight again, holding her tight to her side, glancing at the Mandalorian. "This is my daughter Winta," Omera introduced the girl, who smiled shyly at them. Winta's eyes landed on Bean in Elana's arms as Omera continued. "We don't get a lot of visitors around here."

Elana took in the little girl's features, seeing the resemblance to the woman beside her, just as lovely as her mother was.

"She's not used to strangers," Omera explained, before lowering her head, looking her daughter in the eyes and gesturing towards the Mandalorian. "This nice man is going to help protect us from the bad ones."

Winta gave a small nod and scooted closer to her mother. "Thank you," she whispered, and her smile was wider now, obviously gaining some confidence.

Elana watched as the Mandalorian nodded near imperceptibly, and she offered the small girl a comforting smile.

"Come on, Winta," Omera said, taking her hand, "Let's give our guests some room." With a little wave, they left, and the Mandalorian was still rooted to the same spot, looking after them.

Bean cooed loudly, trying to get Elana’s attention by tugging at her collar. "Bean, no," she said quietly, loosening his claws carefully, "My shirt stays _on_ , thank you very much." Wrangling him away, she set him down on the ground, and he whined up at her, hands outstretched.

"You've got to relax," Elana gently addressed the Mandalorian as Bean squeaked in indignation, "We won't have lodging for long if you're trigger-happy."

He gave a slight twitch before he sighed. "Yeah," he said, "Probably."

The Mandalorian looked to the little child on the floor, who waddled towards him and grabbed onto his boots. Ears raised high, he gave a coo, tilting his head, and Elana watched with amusement as the bounty hunter mirrored the child's movement.

"Omera said that she wants to get a mattress in here, and she will give us a crib for Bean," Elana switched the topic, "Until then, we'll just unpack?"

He nodded. "All right. I'll be right back."

With those words, he opened the clasp of the rifle with a practised move, and slid it off his shoulders, careful to avoid accidentally hitting Bean. He set it down on one crate before heading out, probably to get some more of the things from the sled.

Elana set to work unpacking the crates they had already brought into the hut, but it was quickly apparent that there was not much space for the Mandalorian and her to have separate places to sleep. Sighing heavily, she squared her shoulders and decided to deal with it. It was not the first time they would have to stay in close proximity, they had already done so on Arvala-7. The only times they had _not_ been in the same general area while sleeping was on the ship, and the ship was so tiny it almost did not count.

Minding Bean who was curiously exploring the new environment, she unpacked as best as she could, figuring that a lot of other issues would quickly be solved as soon as Omera came back. For example, where they could clean up , where they could eat, and all that.

"Aah," Bean babbled and tugged out something that was kicking and squirming from the back of the hut. Before she could tell him to drop it, he swallowed the frog down in one go.

"Oh, stars," she huffed out, shaking her head.

"I'm surprised that he doesn't choke on them," the Mandalorian said, appearing in the entrance, his voice startling her.

She shot him a tiny smile and shrugged. "Maker, every time he does that I'm worried," she sighed. "Then again, he seems fine with it."

The Mandalorian snorted and entered the hut, setting down another crate before he started to unpack what was in there. Unsurprisingly, it was mostly weapons, though she spotted a razor and soaps among them and found herself taken aback. How had she never considered that the Mandalorian would need to shave? After all, from what she could guess, he was a human male and she knew that he had tan skin, possibly dark hair as well. She shortly wondered what colour his eyes would be. Light eyes? Dark ones? Did it even matter?

Giving herself a firm mental shake she swooped Bean up and settled him on her hip.

"Do you want some time alone to eat? I have some water and rations in my backpack," Elana said.

The Mandalorian nodded once, fingers curling at his side. "Thank you," he said and she set the mentioned supplies onto the table next to them.

"I think the village will give us some food later, I can ask them. We're taking a look around," she told the Mandalorian, and walked past him, "See you?"

He gave a nod when she looked back, and Bean turned and gave a clumsy wave, which made Elana smile fondly. With a raise of her hand, she set off, starting to explore the little village.

She quickly found out that the villagers were very, _very_ friendly, and they were quick to approach her. Everywhere she looked, there were wide smiles most of them directed at Bean, who was glowing under the positive attention.

When she arrived at the central square, she saw that the villagers had assembled around a big pot bubbling with what she assumed was stew, and were distributing it to the others, mostly sitting together in groups of family or friends. Spotting Cara talking animatedly with a redheaded woman, Elana made her way over to them.

"Elana!" Cara called out, greeting her with a big smile. "Join us, come on."

Adjusting Bean on her hip, she settled down next to them, not minding the grass patches on the ground. "Hello," she said to the redhead, who had steel blue eyes and a big grin as she took in Elana and Bean.

"Hi, I'm Leri," she introduced herself, before squinting at Bean. "Oh, he's so cute," she gushed, carefully bopping the tip of his ear as Bean squealed and turned into her side. "You're very lucky to have such a sweet little one."

"Thank you," Elana said, looking down at the child, whose claws were wrinkling her shirt until she gently extracted the fabric from his fingers, "His name is Bean." He cooed loudly, recognising his name, and gave a little wave with his free hand at the two women.

"I've never seen anything like him," Cara said, huffing out a laugh, "He's cute enough, though, I guess."

Leri snorted, and looked wryly at Cara. "Babies are not your thing, huh?"

Cara started to laugh, and shook her head while leaning back, clutching her stomach. "Oh, hell nah," she got out. "I don't do the baby thing, there are enough creatures in this galaxy without me adding to it."

The redhead nodded sagely. "I feel ya," she said, "Thank the stars that I don't have any of my own, when I see my neighbours having their hands full with theirs—" Leri stopped, and shrugged. "Let's just leave it at I'm glad I don't have any. I'd like to sleep through the night, thank you very much."

Elana had to refrain herself from snorting. "Bean is actually exceptionally well behaved," she said. "He is very easy to care for."

"And that mercenary?" Leri asked, giving a wide grin, "How'd you end up with him?"

Elana scrunched her face up, and gave half a shrug. "That's too long of a story to tell," she settled on, because rumours and half-truths travelled fast, and she did not want to give the villagers a bad impression of the bounty hunter they were paying. Not to mention, Cara and them together were enough commotion for one day, they did not need the entire tale of what happened ever since the Mandalorian entered their lives.

"Hm, okay, but is he any good?"

Elana missed the sly look in Leri's eyes as Bean wriggled down from her lap, and started to tug at a patch of grass.

"Yeah," Elana said, a smile on her face as she watched Bean's ears move up and down as he examined the little bit right in front of him, "He's the right person to fend off your raiders, I guess."

Cara snorted, and gave Elana a slight shoulder bump. "That Mando is a good brawler, I'll give him that," she said. Leaning closer to Leri, she whispered in a conspiratorial manner: "I kicked his ass when we met."

Over the heads of the two women, Elana saw Omera walking among the villagers, and the widow gave Elana a small wave as their eyes met.

"Ah, Elana, get yourself a bit of food, won't you? We'll watch over the little Bean," Leri offered, giving her a big smile.

Elana nodded thankfully at them and sat up straighter, trying to get an overview of where everything was.

"The man there, Dawsen, he'll give you a bowl, and you just keep it for the next meal," Leri instructed, and pointed to a dark haired man with a salt and pepper beard who was standing right next to the big pot of stew. "He's very friendly, don't be intimidated by his rough demeanor."

Elana raised an eyebrow, and let out a chuckle. "I think I can handle intimidating people," she quipped, and winked at Cara.

The shock trooper snorted. "Travelling with a Mandalorian, that's intimidating enough, huh?"

"You could say that," Elana said, and stood, "Thank you for watching him."

Bean cooed loudly at her, a slight frown on his face.

"Don't worry, sweetpea, I'll be right back," Elana said, and gave him a reassuring smile before turning around and making her way to the man Leri had pointed her to.

Acutely aware of gazes following her as the newcomer, she arrived before the big pot, clearing her throat to get the other´s attention. "Dawsen, right?" Elana asked, before giving him a friendly smile, holding out her hand. "I'm Elana, pleased to meet you."

The man looked at her, his heavy brows making him look gruff indeed, before a grin crept onto his face, instantly melting away any kind of intimidation she had felt. "Elana, huh? I saw you with the little one, is he yours?" Dawsen asked, grasping her hand and shaking it firmly.

Elana nodded, "Yeah, his name is Bean," she said.

The dark-haired man took a wooden bowl from a stack by his side, and filled it with a blueish stew. "I hope you're not allergic to krill," he joked, before putting in a few whole ones carefully. "For the little one," he explained, "The krill meat is very healthy."

Elana could not help but smile at the friendliness of the villager, and gave him a grateful nod. "That's very kind of you, thank you so much," she said, and took the bowl he handed to her, along with the cutlery he pressed into her hands.

"Go, eat and rest," Dawsen commanded, "You travelled far to get here."

Giving him one last smile, Elana turned around and made her way back to Cara, Leri, and Bean.

Sitting down again after a thanks to the women for watching him, she set Bean right next to her, and took a bit of the stew, testing the temperature. Blowing on it a bit so it would cool down, she held it out to Bean for him to taste. After a few curious head tilts and some sniffing, Bean drank slowly, smacking his lips before scooting closer, obviously wanting more.

Leri awwed while Cara watched them with a raised brow, the starbird under her eye twitching with amusement. Giving Bean one of the krill, he swallowed it down in one go, burping loudly afterwards, and giggled, the sound amusing himself. Elana finished what was left of the stew meanwhile, leaving the krill for Bean. She kept an eye on him to see if he would choke on them, ready to intervene if that were to happen.

Thankfully, no choking occurred, and he settled into her side, full belly making warmth travel across the bond. She pushed some of her own warmth back, and he looked up at her, cooing before rubbing his cheek against her knee.

"Charmer," she teased before pulling him up onto her lap.

"What about Mando, huh?" Cara suddenly asked, "He doesn't eat out here?"

Elana shook her head. "It is forbidden for him to take off his helmet in the presence of others," she explained, remembering what he had told her on Arvala-7 when he slammed her into the ground for even attempting to lift the helmet.

"Poor sucker," Leri said, shrugging, "but that's his decision."

"I'll bring him more food later," Elana explained. "He is probably busy with unpacking right now, and checking over his stuff."

"Yeah," Cara agreed. "Speaking of his stuff, I'd love to have a look at his weapons, his vambrace alone?" She whistled. "I would give anything to have a flamethrower like that."

"You could ask him where he got it," Elana joked, before standing up. "I'll check on him, and take a break if that's all right."

Leri smiled at her and gave her a parting wave. "Yeah, that's all right," she said, "We won't bother you, then."

Taking the bowl and the cutlery, Elana scooped Bean up and made her way back to the hut after getting another bowl for the Mandalorian and saying a quick goodbye to her companions. On her way back, the little girl Elana recognised as Winta skipped over to them and beamed at Bean.

"What is his name?" Winta asked, hands clamped together in front of her, rolling on her heels excitedly.

"This is Bean," she said gently, and he cooed as if on command, "and I'm Elana. You're Winta, huh?"

The girl nodded brightly, and Elana could not help but smile. "Your mother told me that you're very responsible," she said, "do you want to hold him?"

Winta nodded so hard Elana was surprised she kept her balance.

"Yes, please!"

Stopping between two huts, Elana knelt down, carefully putting down the bowl with stew. Then, she adjusted Bean so he would be facing the girl, and passed the child to her. Winta held out her own arms, and took him, slightly clumsy but enthusiastic . Bean cooed, and raised his hands, patting at Winta's face delicately, and from the delighted look in her eyes, the little one must have been smiling at the girl.

"Hi, Bean," she whispered, and scrunched up her nose at him, "Your Mama said I can play with you, is that all right?"

Elana suddenly felt herself tearing up. No one had actually referred to her as _Bean's mother_ before, she realised with a start. Even though she definitely thought of him as _hers_ , and knew that he was her child even if she had not given birth to him, she had never been acknowledged by others as such. Like the Mandalorian, they all just called her _caretaker_ , or _the baby's watcher_.

No one had called her a _Mama_ before.

Bean cooed loudly, and a rush of warmth curled around the bond as he turned his head around to look her in the eyes. Wriggling so Winta would set him down again, he waddled towards her, stumbled on the last bit and held himself upright on her knees. His little smile lit up his entire face and his ears lowered affectionately as he gurgled at her.

"You're the best baby, ever, you know that?" Elana whispered, overcome with love, and pressed a kiss on his forehead.

"Are you okay?" Winta asked, her face serious. "Is something wrong?"

Elana blinked away her tears and gave a breathy chuckle. "No," she said, "I'm just glad that we're safe now. The last few weeks have been very dangerous for us, you know?"

The girl nodded, big eyes earnest. "But the Mandalorian, he saved Bean and you, right?" Winta asked.

Elana gave a half shrug, eyes still fixed on the little child in front of her. "I suppose you could say that," she heard herself saying absentmindedly as she straightened the collar of Bean's robe.

"He seems very nice," Winta said, "Mama said that he is."

"Yeah, he is," Elana said, and realised that it was both a reassurance for the little girl and for herself. If she disregarded what he had done prior to Nevarro, he would probably have been the kindest person she had met in years, helping with Bean and helping her to find somewhere they would be safe. But she would always keep Arvala-7 in mind.

Winta had been playing peekaboo with Bean the whole time Elana was lost in thought, but when Bean laughed so much he fell over, landing on his bottom, Elana was ripped out of her musings. The girl had already reached out and set him on his feet again, and gave him a big smile.

"What does he eat?" Winta asked, looking up at her.

"He likes meat," Elana said. "Frogs and lizards, but ration bars are usually fine as well. He just ate some of the krill."

"Okay," she said, "Can I come by the hut later and feed him?" Winta looked at her with big, expectant eyes and a pleading look on her face, completed by both hands clasped together in silent request.

Elana huffed in amusement, before agreeing. "Just go in with your mother, you know that the Mandalorian is still jumpy."

Winta giggled at the conspiring eyebrow raise Elana gave her, accompanied by a playful wink. "I'll do that," she said, before scrambling up, and giving her a parting nod. "I'll ask Mama if she can bring you food."

"That's very kind of you," Elana replied, scooping Bean into her lap and standing up as well, "Would you mind pointing me in the direction of the hut again?"

Winta skipped the whole way back, often turning around and giving Bean a smile when she did so, and it did not take long until they were at the other end of the village again, in front of the barn.

"Bye!" Winta called, before disappearing in a flurry of dark hair and blue clothes.

Entering the hut with Bean in her arms, she was surprised to see the Mandalorian currently inspecting a crib, his lighter fingertips ghosting over the dark wood as he stood next to it.

"Not escape proof for Bean," he said without looking at them, still looking at it with what she guessed was suspicion. "He'll climb out in a matter of seconds."

"He will do that anyways, regardless of what you put him into," Elana replied dryly. "He always manages to get into places where he should not be."

Bean cooed, and grinned up at her, and Elana knew exactly that the little one had understood her perfectly. The Mandalorian huffed at the sight, shaking his head.

"I brought you some stew," Elana changed the topic, and placed the bowl on the little windowsill. "I can go back and get some more, I know it's not much, but I couldn't balance it well with Bean—"

He cut off her rambling with a soft "thank you" and tilted his head at her. She gave him a half-smile, feeling her face warm slightly from how she had become nervous for seemingly no reason at all, and turned her attention to the crib again to avoid looking at him.

Elana knelt down in front of the little, well made piece of furniture, carefully putting Bean into it and smiling encouragingly as he looked around in confusion. A questioning feeling ran across the bond as he started to pat at the wood, turned around clumsily, and sank to his knees, crawling along the space of the small crib. During his exploration, he gave off little hums and gurgling, and she could tell that he liked it.

"This is gonna be your new pram, okay?" Elana asked gently, and reached out, bopping his nose which made him giggle.

"He likes it?" The Mandalorian asked, and she turned her head to look at him, taking in the sight of the intimidating bounty hunter looking... anxious.

She did not know how he could look anxious when the beskar helmet was still as expressionless and blank as ever, but somehow he managed. "Yeah," she said softly, the corners of her mouth twitching up, "he likes it a lot."

He nodded once again. "Good."

Bean made a loud squeak, making both of them look at the child. Then, when he was sure both were watching, started to drum a clumsy rhythm on the headboard of the crib, eyes shining as he looked up at them with an open mouthed smile.

"That's really good," Elana told him, completely serious, "you could become a drummer one day."

The Mandalorian gave a snort, crossing his arms.

"Positive feedback is very important for children," she tossed over her shoulder. "Just tell him he did well, all right?"

The bounty hunter stepped closer, and tapped lightly on the edge of the headboard, making Bean coo up at him.

" _Jate_ ," the Mandalorian told Bean in a gentle voice, and Bean promptly grabbed at his finger, unusually fast, which made the man chuckle. Elana watched them with bated breath, feeling warm inside as she saw how careful the Mandalorian was with the little child.

"Knock, knock," a voice sounded behind them, making Elana turn around. Omera was standing in the entrance, eyes crinkled with a smile as she held a tray of food, waiting for permission to enter.

"Come in," the Mandalorian said, and straightened, taking a step away from the crib. Elana stood up, and brushed off her pants as she did, watching the tall woman walk in, balancing the tray carefully.

Winta jumped in as well, hiding behind her mother, giving Elana a shy smile when she peeked around the skirt’s of her mother’s dress.

"Can I feed him?" Winta asked her, before looking at the Mandalorian, gauging his reaction as well.

"Sure," he said at the same time as Elana nodded at the girl, saying a soft "go ahead."

With a last check with her mother, Winta knelt by the crib, and held up a bit of chopped up meat for Bean. "Are you hungry?" Winta asked, and held out the food.

Bean reached forward, ears raised high, and eagerly gobbled the offering. The girl giggled, a bright and lovely sound, before looking at the Mandalorian first, then to Elana. "Can I play with him?"

"Of course," Elana said while the Mandalorian sighed "sure" at the same time.

Since he was closer, he gently took Bean out from the crib and set him onto the ground.

"Come on!" Winta called, a smile brightening her face as she gestured for Bean to follow her. The little one waddled behind her, calling out a loud "eeh!" as he followed.

The Mandalorian gave a jerk and was already halfway out the door behind them when Elana held him back with an outstretched arm.

"I don't think—" he said, sounding tense.

"They'll be fine," Omera said, looking amused.

"I don't—" he tried again with worry in his voice, looking at Elana, as if to gauge her reaction.

"They'll be fine," she repeated Omera's words gently but firmly. "They're just playing." He slowly backed off, but she could still feel the tension in the air.

"I can follow them, if you want to?" Elana asked, giving him a tick of her eyebrow. The Mandalorian visibly hesitated, before giving her a nod.

She turned to Omera and gave her a soft smile, eyes roaming over her lovely features. "Thank you for bringing the food," she said, and stepped outside the hut, eyes already fixed on the little bundle running behind Winta as fast as he could.

She reached the little square where other children were playing and proceeded to watch them. Little Bean was stumbling around, giggling brightly, trying to catch the older children who were running around him, arms outstretched as his laughter filled the air. Smiling softly at the sight, Elana crossed her arms and leaned against a pillar, thinking about the Mandalorian and how hesitant and gentle he had become with them. Her thoughts did not linger on the topic for a long time though, since she was enraptured with how happy her child was, smiling from ear to ear.

When the bounty hunter appeared after a while, he stopped right in front of her. Helmet tilted down towards her, shoulders slightly hunched, Elana was thankful for but curious as to why he took such care in displaying himself in a non-threatening way. Was it that noticeable that he still startled her sometimes?

"Do you know where Cara is?" The Mandalorian asked, voice surprisingly soft.

"I've last saw her in the main square," Elana replied, feeling her heart start to beat faster. She told herself that it was due to her already being on edge because of his intimidating presence, but... his gentle words were making something in her stomach flutter as well.

"She was with a woman named Leri, I think she is staying at hers," she finished with a polite nod.

A villager a bit away from her piped in: "I know where Leri's hut is, I can bring you to her if ya wanna."

The Mandalorian sharply nodded once at the other person, before turning to Elana. "I want to do a perimeter sweep with her, we'll be back soon," he said, and then: "Look after Bean?" His voice was quiet, as if he did not dare to speak louder, and Elana got the impression that he was looking her in the eyes.

"Look after yourself," she replied just as quiet, not trusting herself to say more, giving him a slight quirk of her lips.

He nodded once more before he left with the other villager. Elana found herself staring behind his tall figure until he rounded a corner and disappeared from view.

Something knocked against her ankle, and when she looked down, she was greeted with the sight of Bean holding onto her leg, cooing loudly. After a quick look around, with only Winta left in the square, she reached down and scooped him up.

"Thank you for playing with him," she told the girl while she walked to her, and Winta beamed at her.

"It was so fun!" Her smile brightened up the whole village, and Elana felt herself caught in the net of this sunshine girl, smiling back as well, "Can I play with him tomorrow as well?"

Chuckling at her enthusiasm Elana nodded and adjusted Bean. "Of course," she said, "Now hurry back and go to your mother, I'm sure you have chores to do."

The big grin dropped from her face, but her eyes were still sparkling in delight. "Bye, Bean," Winta said, gently poking at the child's belly, making him gurgle at her. She giggled at that, before taking off, short legs pushing off the soft ground and the girl disappeared between the huts.

Bean cooed up at her, snuggling into her side as she carefully stroked a thumb across his cheek. "Did you like it with Winta?" Elana asked, pressing a kiss onto his forehead, "Was she nice to you?"

Gurgling something she chose to interpret as _Yes, she was really nice_ , she walked back into the hut, and sat Bean next to the crib, already digging through the blankets to find the soft fur, using that to pad where Bean will sleep. She sorted through her stuff, folded her clothes neatly, and then tried to tidy up, not quite knowing what to do.

Elana hoisted Bean up again, and resolved to find Omera. She only knew a few names in the village, and it could not hurt to know more people, especially if they would hopefully stay for a little while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *whispers* they are slowly warming up more and more to each other... hmmm how will this end... no one knows... 
> 
> I'm off to eat cake now, I hope you enjoyed reading! Have a nice day!


	15. The Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elana visits Omera´s home. The Mandalorian and Cara find the Imperial Walker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for all your feedback on the last chapter, I am so grateful for every single one of you out there, and I also wanted to thank you for almost 10k hits and over 600 kudos!! I am absolutely baffled by this response and it makes me unbelievably happy that you´re enjoying this. Really, thank you so much for everything, I love you!!
> 
> Warnings: mentions to canon-typical violence, arguments.  
> Softer Warnings: some feels, Bean being cute and some Tropes being set up that you´ll hopefully like :D

The little village was easy to navigate, with one main big square and many smaller ones arranged in a circle around it, connected through little paths between the big houses. Observing the way they were built with interest, there were a few things that could be said about this particular region of Sorgan, Elana found.

With the wicker baskets being the main components of the outer layer of the houses, it must not get very cold, otherwise the wind or the rain would easily seep through. The temperatures and the climate in general must be temperate if the houses could afford to be built like those. The trees that grew on the outskirts of the village were tall and healthy, well cared for, and the krill ponds made it hard for large animals to steal food or attack them. She wondered if those raiders have difficulties while entering the village, and if the ponds actually slowed them down. From what she had gathered by listening to Caben and Stoke, there was not much other dangerous wildlife on this little green planet, and it made sense for the village to have been built in a rather open space in the first place.

Some of the inhabitants sent her a friendly look or nods along the way, but other than that, most of them were in their huts or already talking to each other, which Elana did not want to disturb.

Finally catching a glimpse of Omera, who was talking to an elderly man in a gentle manner, Elana made a beeline towards her. When the other woman met her eyes, she smiled brightly and beckoned her over. "Yennal, this is Elana and little Bean," Omera introduced her as soon as she arrived, "They arrived with the Mandalorian."

The old man nodded, and looked at Bean, lip curved up in a wry smile. "Your child looks very healthy."

"Thank you," Elana said, not knowing what else to reply.

"It must be dangerous, accompanying a mercenary with a little one, is it not?" Yennal gave her a sceptical look, and she set her jaw, trying not to be offended by the implication that she was putting Bean in danger. It was not as if she had a choice, if she wanted Bean to live.

"Sometimes it's just like that," Elana chose to say, and have a shrug as if to say _What can you do?_ There was no need to spill her entire life story out for those villagers just because they have been nice to her.

"Ah, life is crazy," he said, and threw a look at Omera that Elana could not decipher, "You never quite know how it goes and where you end up."

Omera gave him a thin smile, before moving towards Elana, hooking her arm into her elbow. "I'll show her around some more, help her get a few things," the other woman said, and with a subtle tug, Elana followed her unspoken cue, nodding a polite goodbye at the old man as they departed. "He is very nosy, but he means well," she said and gave her a gentle smile, "Have you settled in? Is there anything I could help you with?"

"Oh, I think we have everything at the moment," Elana said as Bean gurgled quietly in her arms, "Maybe something like a large curtain would be helpful."

Omera raised her eyebrows, before nodding thoughtfully. "Some privacy for the Mandalorian, right? So he can take off his helmet."

Elana smiled, glad that the other woman caught on quickly. She might not like the Mandalorian much, but she will respect his culture no matter what. If he would not take his helmet off to sleep, he would not be able to rest that well, she thought, and if he was not rested, he would not be able to uphold the end of their deal. It was just a simple conclusion to come to, and it would be of no big consequence to her. "Yeah," Elana said, "I think he would feel more comfortable if there is a physical barrier so no one can accidentally sneak a peek." Bean gave a loud coo, as if offended by her words.

Omera giggled, the sound just as light as her daughter's was, and shook her head at Bean with a smile. "Those little ones are always sticking their noses where they shouldn't," she commented, and it made Elana laugh.

"Certainly, I can't count all the times where one just wants to take a _break_ and he bursts in."

"The woes of parenting," Omera said in a conspiratorial tone as Bean raised his ears up high and started to babble excitedly, and Elana scrunched her nose, exhaling in amusement.

"If I may ask, does the Mandalorian have a name?"

Elana blinked in surprise, looking at the other woman. "Why do you want to know?" She heard herself ask, her own thoughts suddenly occupied with the same question of the other woman. She did not know if she had ever actively thought about the fact that the Mandalorian had a _name_ under the mask of anonymity. That he had a name his parents gave him, a name friends would call. Once again it became painfully clear to Elana that she did not know anything substantial of the bounty hunter who had agreed to protect them.

"We have to call him something," Omera shrugged, "The community has already asked questions, and it would be nice to know the names of the ones we pay to protect us."

"Well," Elana hesitated, "I think he is fine with being called Mando."

Omera's brows rose, and she tilted her head slightly at Elana. "That's a very impersonal moniker."

The smaller woman shrugged, before starting to speak again: "I don't think he minds much. It's what he is called by everyone."

"Even by you?"

Elana did not know why Omera sounded so skeptical, but she offered her an easy smile. "Something like that."

They arrived at the hut of the other woman, and Omera ushered her in. The inside was lovingly decorated, the hut having two stories. There was a ladder leading up to the upper level, which Elana could not get a good look at. Omera pointed around the space. "This is where we live," she said, "It's not much, but it's enough." When the other woman glanced at Elana, she could not help but hold her breath at how lovely Omera looked when she smiled.

"Upstairs is where Winta and I sleep, and we keep our things there. I think we should have some fabric you can use as a curtain."

"Should I take him up as well?" Elana asked, gesturing at Bean.

"Wait a moment," Omera said, and moved towards the entrance of the hut, before calling Winta's name. The girl came skipping after a few moments, smiling brightly at her mother.

"Yes?" The dark haired girl asked, giving her a shy wave as she spotted her.

"Can you look after Bean for a moment? Elana and I have to search for something."

Winta's eyes lit up. "Of course!"

Elana gently placed the baby on the ground, and Bean looked up, his ears flopping, as if to ask _Can I?_ "Go on," Elana said, smiling softly, "You can play together." As the two children interacted, Omera and her shared a look, both smiling.

"They're wonderful," Omera whispered as she leaned in to Elana, her eyes sparkling, "Let's leave them."

Leading the way by climbing up the ladder, Elana waited until the other woman had disappeared over the ledge, before she followed close behind. She only had to climb a few rungs before she could sneak a peek, spotting the mattresses on the other end, one bed neatly made and the other one with a haphazard blanket. Omera made her way to a few woven boxes and chests on the side and knelt down, starting to dig through them. Admiring the way the sunlight reflected on the dark hair she stepped closer, and waited for Omera to finish her search. It did not take long, and Elana´s heart felt lighter than it had been in ages as she listened to the laughter and giggles of the children.

"Here!" Omera called triumphantly, and held up a large cloth, large enough to serve its purpose. Slightly shaking out the blue fabric, she looked at Elana, a smile on her face, "What do you think?"

"It's perfect," she said, eyes roaming over the dyed cloth, "Thank you so much."

"My pleasure," Omera said, and her smile was breathtaking, "We don't get many visitors, I'm happy to provide for anything you might need."

"You're amazing, thank you," Elana said, a little starstruck by the dazzling smile Omera gave her. There was a loud _Tok_ downstairs, followed by a frantic: "I'm sorry! Don't tell your mama!"

"Oh dear," Elana whispered, barely suppressing a giggle, burying her face in her hand, "Think they're fine?"

Omera snorted. "Definitely," she said, "No crying yet." Sharing a knowing glance, they made their way downstairs again, the fabric bundled under Elana's arm as she descended the ladder, and she jumped off the last rung, searching for the two children.

Bean and Winta were playing with some wooden cubes and some plushies, the sunlight through the window shining directly onto the spot that they were sitting on, shrouding them in golden rays. The sight was so peaceful that tears stung at Elana's eyes for a second, and she had to take a shuddering breath to get her emotions under control.

They were _safe_. Safe in a way they had not been in a long time.

No guards, no imminent dangers, no hunters. Just Bean and her, being able to breathe, being able to relax in the sun, being able to watch him play with other children. The little village felt like a sanctuary after less than a day that they spent here, a little bubble of safety that enveloped them, and Elana wished that she could offer Bean a permanent place like this village, that she could offer him a long life free of worry.

Winta placed a little blue crooked plushie that was shaped like a krill in front of Bean, and he reached out instantly, crushing it against his body in a tight grip, cooing loudly as he smiled, little teeth peeking out. "Do you like it?" Winta asked, smiling, "My dad made it for me." Bean cooed loudly, and buried his face into the krill plushie.

Elana stepped closer, and gently knelt down. "Come on, sweetpea," she said, "We're going back to our hut." The little one turned upwards, and gave her a sad look, which made Winta aww. "We can come back and play another time," Elana promised, "Now, give Winta her plushie back, okay?"

With a dejected downturn of his ears, he waddled towards the little girl, and softly placed it in her lap, cooing at her. The dark haired girl reached out, and carefully petted him on his head. "See you next time, Bean," she said with a bright smile, "I'm sure we can play even more."

Gently lifting the little one up, Elana managed to balance both the fabric for the curtain and the baby in her arms, and Omera reached out with a hand, setting it on her shoulder.

"Should I accompany you back?" Omera inquired, dark eyes kind and a soft smile on her face. Elana fought down a flush, and shook her head gratefully.

"I won't bother you anymore," she said, "I think I can find my way back."

"If you're sure?"

Elana smiled, suddenly bashful. "Yeah," she managed, "Thank you so much." Bean babbled something, as if to agree.

After some final _Thank You's_ and _Goodbye's_ , the two of them made their way back across the village, Bean happily telling her about everything that he had played with, and with the bond, Elana could clumsily follow along what he was trying to say. Waving to Stoke as she saw him, the man gave her a bright smile before going onto his way, it did not take long until they were back.

Stepping into their shared hut, Elana placed Bean into the little crib, and he instantly found some leaf to explore, holding it up and inspecting it thoroughly. She softened at the sight, before turning around and figuring out how she should get this curtain up. Some privacy would be all she would be able to repay him in, after he spent credits on them, gave them shelter and food and helped them on the run.

Of course, he was part of the reason why they were hunted like they were now.

Elana was not deluded in thinking that the encampment on Arvala-7 would have protected them forever. There would have still been hunters and one of them would have succeeded at some point. Bean and her could count themselves lucky that they had gotten away with their lives and with almost no injuries, at least no permanent ones. A big part in securing that safety was thanks to the Mandalorian, who had handled them far more kindly than they had expected. There had been so many instances where they could have been hurt or left for dead, but the Mandalorian had put himself in harm's way more than once to protect them. And if she was honest with herself… the Mandalorian was probably the best deal they could have gotten all in all. If she thought back to the other bounty hunters, they would not have treated her with the same kindness and decency this one did.

So, if getting this curtain up was the first step in reaching out some, so be it. Their deal was for him to protect them, and there was no reason why they should not at least be on friendly -- or friendlier -- footing.

After handing Bean one of his little wooden toys, Elana got to work and started to figure out the logistics and the mechanism on how the curtain would hold. She did not get very far in her endeavour when the Mandalorian appeared in the entrance, blocking the light from the outside. "We found something."

Elana frowned at the note in his voice, sounding almost too calm, too blank for everything to be alright. And the way he phrased it, deliberately vague, only enforced her suspicion that something was amiss.

"Good or bad?" Elana inquired, not liking the tone at all.

"Bad," he said, "Prepare to leave. We are gathering the villagers."

Elana searched the beskar helmet for any indication, before carefully asking: "What's wrong?"

He sighed, his shoulders dropping, "Looks like we will leave sooner than we thought," he said, entering the little hut completely, glancing at Bean, "I'm sorry."

"What happened?" Elana stared at him with wide eyes, and put her project to the side, standing up.

"They have an Imperial Walker," he said, "Cara and I can do nothing against it."

She felt her heart drop. "What is it doing here?" Elana asked, blinking fast, "Are there any Imperials here as well?"

"I don't think so, but it's too early to tell. The raiders must have stolen it."

"So we can't stay? What about the villagers?"

"We can't do anything for them," he told her as a crowd drew near, assembling itself in front of the barn they were staying in. There were many frowns, confused expressions, hope that skimmed on the surface of their faces.

The Mandalorian stepped on the porch next to Cara, and the two of them exchanged a look, while Elana melted into the crowd of the villagers, her hold on Bean tight.

"Bad news," the Mandalorian told them, voice carrying across the square, "Can't live here anymore." Elana raised her brows high at the delivery, appalled at his unsympathetic, matter of fact tone of voice, but at the same time, she had to commend him for it. Like ripping off a bandaid, having the conclusion stated as an opener.

"What?"

"Why?"

Cara hissed something at the Mandalorian that she could not hear, Elana could guess that it was a reprimand for his announcement, before stepping forward. "I know this is not the news you wanted to hear but there are no other options," Cara then said loudly, standing tall in front of the villagers.

"You took the job!"

"Yeah!"

Cara shook her head, scoffing in something that bordered on grim amusement, "That was before we knew about the AT-ST."

"What is that?"

"The armoured walker with two enormous guns that you knew about and didn't tell us," Cara accused, stepping a bit forwards, jaw set.

"We have nowhere to go," a calm voice rose above the frantic calling and pleading of the other villagers, Omera looking serious.

"Sure you do," Cara said, matter of factly, "This is a big planet. I mean, I've seen a lot smaller."

"My grandparents seeded these pods," Caben said, and Stoke backed it up with: "It took generations."

Cara looked sympathetic, but still shrugged. "I understand. I do," she said, before gesturing to the Mandalorian, "But there are only two of us."

"No there's not! There's at least twenty here!" Stoke yelled, and there was agreement within the crowd.

Elana frowned, and held onto Bean tighter. From what she could see, they were just as much trained as she was, meaning, not at all. She had no idea where to even start with fighting an AT-ST, and she would bet that they did not either. They did not even inform them of the Walker. Her gaze shifted to the Mandalorian, who had not said a word since his blunt announcement. He leant against the barn with tense shoulders. The bounty hunter turned his head, their gazes met, and he gave her a little nod of acknowledgement.

Cara seemed to have a similar thought that Elana herself had: "I mean fighters. Be realistic!"

The enthusiasm in the village quickly arose as they demanded to learn how to fight it, and a part inside her understood. She understood perfectly, that they wanted a chance, wanted to defend their home. But it was a fool's dream in the end.

"I've seen that thing take out entire companies of _soldiers_ in a matter of minutes," Cara snarled, eyes haunted.

"We're not leaving," Omera stated, face earnest and voice calm, her arms wrapped protectively around Winta.

Cara shook her head, and looked her straight into her eyes. "You cannot fight that thing."

Elana felt Bean gently scratching at her forearms, and she pressed a kiss onto his head, hoping that the villagers would come to their senses, and avoid the confrontation altogether. It was the easiest and non-violent way with no lives risked. And afterwards, the three of them would go back to the _Crest_ , and hopefully find another planet where they can camp out for a while, gathering new information.

"Unless we show them how," the Mandalorian said, unexpectedly.

Elana snapped her head up towards him, shocked. He had just told her to prepare to leave, right? Why was he changing his mind? They had no idea when the next raid will even be, how they will attack, their exact numbers, how well they can handle the Walker. It was a huge risk to even give them hope when this could end in bloodshed.

"Give us until tomorrow," the Mandalorian continued, "We will have a plan until then."

Without another word, he walked into the barn, and Cara stomped behind, face furious. The villagers started to mutter among themselves, and slowly made their way back into their huts. Elana moved into the barn as well, not knowing what to expect.

"What are you doing?" Cara hissed at the Mandalorian

"Giving them a fighting chance," he replied.

"You should not even give them hope! They are untrained, unorganised, they have no weapons, _nothing_ that puts them at a strategic value!" Cara's chest was heaving as she snarled those words as quietly as possible, clearly not wanting anyone to overhear it.

"They want to keep their home," the Mandalorian snapped, "Can't fault them for that."

"There are children here, Mando, if the town gets overrun, there will be a massacre," Cara said, and shoved him solidly in the chest.

Elana took this as her cue. "Stop fighting," she said, "Those raiders are still there and will keep on coming. Fighting will get us nowhere."

Cara whirled around to her, dark eyes gleaming with fury. "Oh, and I suppose letting those villagers kill themselves with a fool's hope is a better strategy?"

"I did not say that," Elana replied, clenching her jaw.

"They can do it," the Mandalorian inserted himself into the conversation once more, "They have potential."

"Nice one, Mando," Cara scoffed, "Potential will get you nowhere. _Skill_ does."

"In addition to planning and timing," Elana carefully injected, lifting her chin, "The scale in a fight can always get tipped by luck." She thought back to the bounty hunter in the market. He had certainly not been killed by skill from her side, rather something that she did not quite understand yet.

"We can't count on luck here, Elana," Cara said, and it almost sounded mocking, "You cannot go into the battle and rely on _luck_."

"The Death Star was destroyed through that," Elana pointed out quietly, looking Cara straight into her eyes, "I've heard the rumours, that it was an impossible shot."

The shock trooper swallowed, not looking away, eyes cold. "Well," Cara said after a short pause, tilting her head, little starbird on her cheek twitching, "If you are willing to rely on _that_ analogy."

"If we train them, and lay a trap, we can get the Walker down," the Mandalorian continued, "There has to be a way to get this over with few losses."

"There is nothing on this planet that could even start to damage it!" Cara's chest was heaving in anger as she snapped her head towards the bounty hunter, "It will tear the village apart in a matter of minutes, and then it will not matter anymore how many generations they have been here!"

Elana bit her lip and frowned, looking down on the floor. Cara was right. Deferring to her knowledge and experience would be logical, since Elana herself could not even begin to comprehend being on a battlefield. She had never been near violence, always kept away the best she could. If there was anyone knowing how high the survival chances and the probability of the village winning, it was Cara.

The Mandalorian is a bounty hunter, from what little she knew of him. He might have the skill and the strategic mind, but with his Creed, he could not have ever been in any form of military like the Empire or the Alliance. And if he had no previous experience with Imperial Walkers...

"Have you faced an AT-ST before?" Elana asked, turning to the Mandalorian, observing his body language. He did not move at all, standing as still as a statue.

"Not like that," he admitted after a short pause.

Elana chewed on her lip. "Then maybe we should listen to Cara."

He jerked, crossing his arms in front of his broad chest and tilted his head at her. "Those villagers have hope," the Mandalorian pointed out, voice tense.

"Suns and Stars, how many do you expect to survive out of those untrained plebs? Twenty? Less?" Cara spat, face furious, "All because of foolish hope that _you_ gave them."

"Sometimes hope is enough. _You_ of all people should know."

Elana stared at the Mandalorian, who did not budge an inch under Cara's wrath, the tension in the barn so thick she could cut it with a vibroknife. Cara slowly turned red, a vein popping in her forehead, and Elana already moved in front of Bean without thinking about it, should fists start to fly. She had seen how Cara and the Mandalorian had gone toe to toe, and the barn would probably not survive that kind of battle.

"I'm gonna go and calm down, and when I'm back, you better have some damn good plans on how these farmers can survive an AT-ST," Cara said through gritted teeth after a long pause, and took a deep breath, fire still in her eyes. With a last jab of her finger towards the Mandalorian, she walked out of the barn, radiating such intimidation a villager near her jumped out of her way.

Elana looked away from the sight of Cara retreating, and back to the unpainted beskar helmet. "Do you have a plan?" Elana asked quietly, readjusted Bean, and sat down on the barn floor. He followed after taking a wooden stick on the table, and sat down right across her.

He started to sketch out a rough plan of the village on the ground, his strokes precise if rudimentary. "The village has no cover," he started to say, gesturing at the temporary schematics with the stick while Elana watched with a furrowed brow, "The raiders have the advantage of the forest, but with the narrow ways between the ponds, the Walker can't get closer than the edge." The Mandalorian stopped at that, tilting his helmet at her, as if to gauge her reaction. "In order to get to the harvest they want to steal, the raiders need to get close to the village, which makes them vulnerable."

"So we keep the Walker out of the village, and the raiders near, to take them out," Elana summarised, frowning, "Two attacks at the same time?"

He hummed and nodded. "Something like that. The main problem is the Walker, since we cannot attack it directly. The weak spots are its legs, but we cannot damage them with what we have."

"And the wicker basket houses are easily flammable if a blaster bolt hits them right, so it can go downhill very fast," Elana pointed out.

The Mandalorian was silent for a while, before sighing. "Not only the houses, the entire village is a fire hazard."

"If the raiders damage the generator," Elana jabbed a thumb into the direction where she had spotted it, "It could blow up."

"Kark it," the Mandalorian muttered.

She frowned again, putting her chin in her hand, thinking. "So let's keep it simple at first, what is a high priority that the raiders should _not_ damage?" Elana asked, eyebrows raised.

The Mandalorian tilted his head, fingers twitching. "The generator, the houses, the younglings and the elderly," he said. They looked at the rough drawing on the ground, and Elana resisted the urge to sigh.

"The AT-ST could easily blast at them without the raiders even coming near," she said, rubbing her forehead.

"So taking out the Walker is the first thing we need to do, damage those legs, and get into the controls," the Mandalorian said, pointing at the ground.

"I don't suppose you have that fancy jetpack those other Mandos had, right?" Elana thought of the devices that the warriors from his covert had word when they aided in their escape from Nevarro. She was not sure how they even worked, and how much strength and finesse it would take to maneuver them, but they seemed very practical. Especially in situations like these.

He huffed, sounding almost amused. "Sadly, no," he said, "I know how to use them, but I don't have one."

"Mhh," Elana made, looking down on the ground again, before pointing to the outskirts of the village," If we build a barrier to where the raiders usually come from, it could slow them down."

"They could just as easily come around, and the villagers would be trapped."

"How about letting in a controlled stream?" Elana asked, "Build it like a dam, that they can get in but only in select spots. A bottleneck."

"My thoughts exactly, easy picking for the villagers even without training," the Mandalorian agreed with her, and started to sketch out barriers. "We can also use the narrow walkways to our advantage," he said, "Use the ponds as traps."

"That could easily-- hm, we could lose the overview of those in the ponds real fast," Elana pointed out, chewing on the inside of her lip as she squinted down on the floor.

He was quiet, nodding slightly. "Yeah," he said after a short pause, "You're right, better to keep the combat easy for the villagers."

Elana breathed out, tucking in a loose strand behind her ear, and looked at the Mandalorian. "We should probably get Cara in for planning as well," she said, watching his shoulders tense, "No point in repeating everything several times."

He said nothing, just looked at her.

Unnerved by his silence, she carried on, aware of the slightly nervous undertone in her voice. "I think both of you are right. The villagers will not leave, Omera said that herself. And by laying a trap, making a plan, organising, the chances of success are higher." Even though she could not truly tell where his eyes were, she felt her cheeks starting to get warm under his scrutiny and the Mandalorian tilted his head, before nodding.

Elana looked to the ground, blinking fast, trying to get the words over her tongue. "And--" she started out, before cutting herself off again, biting her lip. He waited. she closed her eyes and willed the sentence out: "Could you teach me how to fight?"

Silence.

The Mandalorian was staring at her, she could feel his burning gaze even through beskar and tinted visor, and she felt herself starting to flush.

"You're a good fighter," she quickly said, embarrassed, staring at the ground, "And I'm-- I'm useless with weapons. I figure that sooner or later, that something like what... what happened on the market might happen again." Elana could almost feel the tight grip the bounty hunter had on her again, the weight, the blind panic, and she clenched her jaw at the thought of not being able to properly protect Bean.

"Sure," the Mandalorian said after a short pause, voice rough.

Her eyes snapped up. "Really?" Elana felt her heart starting to beat faster, the excitement of his agreement as well as the terrifying prospect of having to learn something she was so utterly unsuited for making her hold her breath. She really hoped that this would not backfire on her, that she would not emerge from this experience even more wary of the Mandalorian than before.

He nodded once, flexing his hand slightly. "You need it."

She decided not to comment on it, indignation and embarrassment swirled in her at the same time, her chest felt hot and tight, as if she could not get enough air. "Yeah," she said, carefully keeping her voice blank, "Guess I do."

"Have you ever fought before?" He seemed genuinely curious, and Elana wondered how she must appear to him. He had probably fought and killed more people than she had ever met in her life, and was highly proficient with weapons and his fighting skills. She must seem so soft, so _weak_ to him.

"Not really," Elana admitted quietly, "I never-- I've never learned."

"Have you fired a blaster before?" His voice was more gentle than she would have expected. She blinked, before looking at the ground. "Yes, but I'm not particularly good. More luck than skill," she admitted, and felt her face burn.

"We can start tomorrow," the Mandalorian decided, and Elana looked at the little child, who had been playing with a little orb, thoroughly entertained while the adults had been talking.

He gave both of them a big smile, cooing loudly, before abandoning his newfound toy, waddling towards them again. Bean tugged on her wrist, and Elana followed his command to hold him, placing him on her lap.

"Someone has to watch him," the Mandalorian said, tilting his head slightly, "Especially if the entire village is preparing."

"I'll ask Omera for help," Elana sighed, "And Winta seemed to have taken a liking to Bean, she could look after him as well."

The bounty hunter nodded, visor trained on her. "Now all we need is Cara, so we can go over the possibilities of the raid."

"Should I find her?" Elana offered, "You stay here with Bean?"

The green child cooed happily, clearly having understood what she was talking about, started to wriggle off her lap, and toddled towards the armoured man. Even though Elana still did not know what exactly she should think of the Mandalorian, he was always gentle to Bean, and the little one adored him. The hypothesis Elana secretly harboured that Bean liked him because he was shiny was still very prevalent, but when she searched the bond, she could feel that the child truly felt safe around the Mandalorian.

That was something that definitely made her pause.

The Mandalorian sighed when Bean arrived at him, his little claws patting at his knee, but it sounded more fond than annoyed. Elana suppressed a smile at that, and stood up, brushing the dust off her pants.

"I'll see you in a few," she said, and gave Bean a little wave before she exited the barn.

With the help of a few villagers, she was able to locate Leri's hut, and Elana came onto the scene of Cara furiously checking over her own blaster and taking stock of her gun. Leri was nowhere in sight, and Elana knocked against the side of the entrance, making the short haired woman look up.

"Great," Cara voiced upon taking in her presence, a thin, sarcastic smile on her face, "You got a plan already? I'm dying to hear it."

"Calm down," Elana said carefully, "Fighting gets us nowhere. We have started on the plans and could use your input."

The other Alderaanian sighed, before standing up, looking at her with a raised brow.

"Okay," she said, "Give me your worst."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! :) please consider leaving feedback, it makes my day!🥰


	16. The Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They start to properly organise everything for the attack. Elana tries to talk to the Mandalorian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAH babes I wrote and edited this in a panicked haze over whether to change my major or not, its clocking in at 8.4k as the longest chapter until now (I could have split it but nah. You're getting a Valentine's treat I guess), I'm uploading this at almost 11pm at mine because why not??  
> Anyways I hope you like this chapter and that you like this story overall? I'm very grateful to you, thank you so much!!
> 
> Warnings: uuuh okay some verbal fighting/tension, references to canon-typical references, gun violence/shooting, a Sparring Scene with implied UST (hehehehe time for me to throw in some crumbs you're all so patient omg), sexual innuendo and some astute bi panic by both Elana and the writer herself oops

Cara’s cold eyes were slightly offset by her wry grin, but Elana could still feel the tension rolling off the other woman.

"Let's get back to our hut," Elana said, motioning for her to come, "We have some ideas but you have more expertise in that area."

"Oh, _now_ you're listening to me?" Cara said sarcastically, exhaling sharply through her nose.

Elana looked away and led the way back to the barn, aware of the seething trooper behind her. It would be better if Cara and the Mandalorian showed an united front and boost morale; spreading insecurity amongst the inexperienced villagers would help no one. So she took a deep breath and started to speak. "It's not as if I don't understand your frustrations, I really do," Elana said quietly, looking at the tall woman next to her with a slight frown, "But the decision has already been made by those that actually live there, and after Alderaan…"

She trailed off.

Cara was silent, before taking a deep breath. "Yeah," she sighed, "I get it. I would have fought for it as well." Elana reached out to take Cara's hand, squeezing slightly before letting go again. "We can do our best for them," she said, giving Cara a gentle smile, feeling the warmth of the other woman tingling on her palm before fading again, "Let's get the planning done."

They arrived at the barn after a short walk. Upon entering, Elana saw the Mandalorian leaning against the windowsill while Bean was on the floor, playing with pebbles, the man watching him.

The bounty hunter squared his shoulders at the sight of them, and after a short, unspoken exchange of head tilts and nods to Cara, he cleared his throat before pointing up, towards the edges of the village."We talked about using the ponds as a possible escape, and the walkways will give us an invaluable advantage," he said, and tilted his helmet at Cara.

The other woman nodded thoughtfully, crossing her arms. "I thought about that as well, if we build barricades along the edges, we will force the raiders to assemble at one point. Easy picking."

"Exactly," the Mandalorian said, "We can use wood to make sturdy barricades, two-point-five meters at least, three if possible."

"What if we use the ponds to trap the Walker? If it falls from high enough, they should get it down," Cara said.

The Mandalorian hummed, "You have to dig them deeper though. The ponds are at around waist height from what I can tell."

Cara sighed deeply, and pinched between her eyebrows. "So we gotta dig, build barricades and train the villagers at the same time. This won't be easy."

The Mandalorian tilted his helmet and gave a shrug. "If they're willing to defend their home, they'll have to step up."

"Still not a fan of this whole thing, Mando, just so you know," Cara said, squaring her jaw, dark eyes stony cold, "AT-ST's are no easy feat and we are lucky if the village survives."

"I know--" the Mandalorian started to say, but Cara cut him off: "I won't turn my back on them because we took on the job, but I don't like this."

Bean cooed quietly, and Elana saw this as her chance to speak up. "How about the actual attack, then? Have the villagers said anything about a routine, a rhythm the raiders stick to?"

Cara and the Mandalorian looked at each other, and sighed at the same time. "We gotta ask that as well," the shock trooper said with a quirk of her eyebrow.

Elana continued on: "Will we wait for them to strike or do we initiate the fight? How can we spin this to our advantage?"

The Mandalorian shifted his weight to one leg, tilting his head. "Normally I would say hit their camp in an ambush with every fighter and be done with it."

Cara nodded thoughtfully. "If we provoke them, we can control when and where they will attack," she said, "But we need to be aware that inside the forest _they_ have the better terrain for an attack."

"So we bring them to us," the Mandalorian said, "Inside the village, with those barricades, it will be easier to defend, which is what those villagers will be better at than in an open fight."

The shock trooper's face split open in a wide grin. "Yeah," she said, a cocky expression on her face, "I like that plan."

Elana got the feeling that the Mandalorian was grinning back at Cara, and she had to smile as well. "So, in summary?" Elana said, "The village is the defense, and you're our offense? Provoking the raiders into attacking at a good time?"

"Exactly," Cara said, "We will need to fortify the village before, Mando and I will hit their camp, and we get them to come at our terms."

"Sounds good," the Mandalorian said, nodding in approval, "This is a good start."

"How will we coordinate this with the villagers though? The fortifying and the training? A rotating shift?" Elana asked.

Cara pursed her lips, and looked at the Mandalorian. "We'll figure something out," she said after a short pause, "Now, Mando, how many guns have you brought?"

"Enough for the villagers," the Mandalorian offered, and Cara whistled low.

"All right, walking armory, let's get this started," the trooper said, a smile spreading on her face.

~

Later that day, when night had already fallen, Elana combed through her hair while Bean snored in her lap. He was wheezing quietly, the blanket she had put over him slowly rising and falling with every breath he took. Careful so the hair tips would not tickle the sleeping child, she went slow, dragging her comb through the thick waves, relishing in the feeling of the pressure on her scalp lessening with every stroke. The Mandalorian was cleaning his armour, polishing the beskar carefully.

"I have gotten some materials from Omera, and we can place a curtain between us," Elana whispered, mindful of the baby, not looking at the other one, "You could take your helmet off to sleep."

She felt more than saw him looking at her, his visor trained right on her face. Since he did not say anything, she continued, a thumb stroking over Bean's cheek: "I won't look, don't worry. And I will keep Bean on my side in his crib, so he can't get over to you as well."

"Thank you," he said quietly, and she looked up at that, flashing him a tiny smile.

"It's the least I can do," Elana said, still carefully keeping her voice neutral, but it was already warmer than it would have been days ago. She needed to be careful not to let the Mandalorian think that she had completely forgiven him, Elana mused, she was already starting to cross the border into being friendly to him. Maybe it was the way he was actually rather quiet and soft spoken, but something about him made her curious.

How was a hardened bounty hunter such as the one they had met on Arvala-7 capable of being so gentle, so careful? It was a shame, Elana thought, if they had met under different circumstances she was sure they would have become friends, fast, but even though the instances were becoming less and less, the shadows of his past deeds were still lingering. What was done was done, and actions spoke more than words did.

If he had done something once, he could do it again. It was once again a question of if he _would_.

The lines between her wanting to trust him and her wanting to get this temporary acquaintance behind her were blurred, like muddy water she could not focus on.

"Tomorrow, we can weigh the ends of the curtain down so you don't have to worry," Elana continued with the previous point, shaking off her thoughts, "Or if you want to be completely sure, I'm sure we can find some solution so you have a completely closed off area."

"That's... very thoughtful of you," he said, voice soft through the modulator, "Would it be alright if I put the curtain up?"

"Of course," she said, and he was quick in erecting a temporary solution, not really putting any kind of barrier between them, but slowly piecing the illusion of privacy together. Elana hesitated, looking at him, and moved Bean off her lap so she could tug her knees close to her chin. Her long hair tickled her shins in that position, and, annoyed by it, she twisted it so it would hang over one shoulder, too impatient to braid all of it now.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Elana asked, tilting her head at him when he finished, still sitting at a spot where she could see him.

"Go ahead," he said, slightly scooting back against the wall of the barn, and she could not help but notice his thighs and broad torso in that position.

Looking away to the sleeping baby, she voiced what she had been wondering about: "Why can't you show your face?" Seeing him stiffen in the corner of her eyes, she was quick in adding: "I'm just curious, I don't want to ask about loopholes or anything." Elana shrugged slightly as she offered him a sheepish smile in the dim light, "I should have asked about it earlier so we could have everything open between us. I… don't want to do or say something insensitive to your culture."

The Mandalorian relaxed slightly, lowering his helmet, presumably looking straight at her. "The Creed is a way of life," he started to say as if he was reciting something, "You cover your face for secrecy, so no one can identify you in battles, or for foreigners to trace back to the covert. Secrecy is the key to survival."

"Isn't that difficult, though?" Elana dared to ask in a slight lull between his words, "For the families to find the fallen ones, I mean."

He hummed, before answering. "That's why we paint our armour and have signets on our pauldrons. They show our clan allegiances, our status, and colours have meanings."

Elana looked at him, and bit her lip before asking once more, thinking of the rust red armour he had on Arvala-7. It probably meant something that he had changed the colour of his armour, but she did not want to pry. "Do you have a clan? Or a signet?" Elana asked instead.

The Mandalorian was silent, shuffling slightly, before he spoke. "I am under the protection of one clan, but I don't have one. Once my signet has been revealed, I will be able to found a clan of my own."

"How do signets reveal themselves?" Elana asked, genuinely curious. It was the most the Mandalorian had ever told her about himself, and she found herself intrigued.

"It's a symbol of your greatest accomplishment, the one thing that made you worthy of having a clan of your own. Most other Mandalorians have a symbol of a battle they won or a beast they have killed as their signet," he said and Elana found herself hanging onto his every word, his voice… soothing, pleasant to listen to, "It's stylised so there are no overlaps between the clan signets."

"And how do the helmets come into play with that? Are they specific to every Mandalorian or are they more general?"

The Mandalorian tilted his head slightly, and heat started to creep up in her cheeks. "I'm sorry," Elana started to backtrack, "Is that-- Does it have a different meaning?"

"No, it's just..." he started to say, before cutting himself off and starting anew, "The forms are individual, and highly attuned to the needs of each one. It's to balance out injuries or disabilities so everyone can provide for the tribe in a manner fitting to their skill."

"That makes sense," Elana said, hand reaching out to place it on Bean's tummy, gently brushing over it, "And everyone in your tribe can fight?"

He nodded. "Basic self defense, at the very least," he replied, "There are hunters and gatherers to supply the tribe. We have our Armourer for weapons and repairs."

"Does everyone have a full beskar armour like you have?"

The Mandalorian tilted his visor at her, fingers twitching. "... No," he admitted and something guarded returned into his voice, "Helmets usually are, and chest plates sometimes, the rest is durasteel."

"Because beskar is so expensive?" Elana asked, picking up on the tension. Trying to shake her sudden unease, she brushed her hair over her shoulder, feeling the strands tickle her skin.

Nodding again, the Mandalorian shuffled on his spot, and she could feel that he was uncomfortable. He did not say anything else.

They just looked at each other, the tension rising again. The silence was deafening, and there was nothing that broke it, it just _sat_ there, awkward and ugly. After a too long moment, Elana said the first thing that came to mind, _anything_ , to move past that tension.

"Did you use everything from the beskar you had been paid in?"

Instant regret. She had not meant to sound so harsh, but the words came out in an accusing tone, much sharper than intended. The Mandalorian completely stilled, fingers clenching into fists.

"Not everything," he said after a long moment that was even more tense than before, and Elana cursed herself when the ice in his voice returned. She clenched her jaw, wanting to apologise, but at the same time, it was not as if he did not deserve her ire. Even though time had passed from the initial act, it was still lingering unspoken between them.

The minutes between them stretched for too long for her to actually apologise, so she said nothing, and settled into her mattress. Both of them shifted on their respective end, so many words were still left unsaid, unheard by the other one, trapped behind stubborn, pressed together lips and teeth.

They went to sleep without talking, each stewing in their own thoughts, running in circles until unconsciousness took over.

~

Waking up with a start, Elana opened her eyes and sat up. Her heart was racing, beating fast against her ribcage while the last remnants of her dream replayed on a loop. As she glanced at the window, she could see that it was still mostly dark, some light purple clouds teasing above the village, stars sparkling above, dancing around the two moons that orbited Sorgan, casting the houses in a soft white light. She did not know why, but she crawled to the end of the mattress and stood before she walked towards the entrance of the hut. Her bare feet were cold and the early morning air brushed over her calves while her open hair fell loosely around her face.

Her heart was still racing. Elana pressed a hand against her chest and frowned, trying to take a deep breath, to calm down.

The urgent feeling the dream had conveyed was already fading, the details swimming, but what she did remember about it had her disturbed, uncomfortable. She remembered the way the bounty hunter from the market had been on her, how his fingers had dug into her neck, the glint in his eyes as he did it. Wide smile, sharp teeth, morphing into something nightmarish. Elana could also recall the sound of his neck snapping, and it made her feel even colder, a weight on her heart as she felt like she was suffocating.

The way she had thrown him was still a mystery. Whenever she tried to focus on it, it was like quicksand, slipping through her fingers the more she tried to grasp at it. It could not have just been luck.

Elana had been plenty lucky all her life, from moving away from falling trees and furniture right before the impact, to how she had narrowly avoided being blown up alongside with her planet, but this? This was something else.

Moving someone with her… mind? That was not luck. It was something more. She just did not know what exactly it was. And _Maker above_ , it terrified her.

Smoke was starting to rise from the huts around her, the white tendrils curling in the slight breeze and it would probably not take long until the villagers rose. Glancing at the treetops, Elana turned around again, going inside the barn. Carefully not looking at the curtain behind which the Mandalorian slept, she checked on the crib, and smiled when she found Bean snuggling against his blanket, lying on his belly, the side of his face pushed into the pillow.

Letting her fingers trace over his soft petal ears, Elana looked at him fondly, before going back to bed again. Crawling into her blankets, mindful of the temporary curtain, she lied down and tried to return to sleep.

That did not work, so she found her thoughts occupied by the Mandalorian a few feet away from her, instead. Elana thought about yesterday, how she had listened to the sounds of him taking off his armour, and even though she was sure that he did not take off his helmet, it was quite the amount of trust that he was putting into her.

She had no desire to look, other than passing curiosity, and he had made it exceptionally clear that his helmet is the most important aspect of his armour.

But still.

Lying on the mattress just a few feet away from him, listening to his deep, even breaths as he slept was strangely... intimate. Every inhale, exhale. Shift of his limbs. Occasional sniff or hitch in his breath. Exhale, inhale.

In.

Out.

It should be disturbing, but it was not. It was… calming. Lulling her to sleep.

But no matter how hard she tried, the nightmare still sat in her bones, chilling her body all the way through, and she did not manage to slip into sleep again. It did not work.

So she sat up, stretched some, careful in not dislocating the curtain, feeling her limbs ache satisfyingly as she went through a small routine, waking her body up. After a while, Bean stirred, his snoring coming to an end. He turned onto his belly, and pushed his little face into the pillow, bottom in the air. Elana watched in amusement as his ears twitched while he shook off his sleep, and then the little child sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Morning, Bean," she greeted softly, not wanting to wake the Mandalorian. Bean cooed loudly and before she could protest, he climbed over the edge of his little crib, and slid down safely, waddling towards her with his hands outstretched.

Elana took him into her arms the moment he was near enough, snuggling him tightly, a smile on her face. Bean squeaked, but since he leaned into her touch instead of shying away, she figured that he was more than fine. The little child mischievously pressed his face into Elana's neck and blew a clumsy raspberry. Not having expected that, she gasped loudly before giggling.

There was an audible jerk behind the curtain following her gasp, and gloves pulled the curtain away, the familiar T-visor showing up.

"Morning," Elana greeted, trying to wipe the wet slobber away, "Sorry that we woke you."

"It's okay," the Mandalorian said, voice raspy from sleep, "Morning."

Bean cooed loudly, ears raised high at the sight of the man, and gave a wave. To her surprise, the Mandalorian gave a tiny wave back as well, a huff of amusement crackling through the modulator.

They quickly readied themselves for the morning, the bounty hunter already formulating a schedule for their day. Thinking back of what Leri had said about the community food, Elana readied herself to get some of it while the Mandalorian offered to take care of Bean for the time being. It did not take long before she found the first villagers gathered around breakfast, Caben greeting her with a smile and they shared a short conversation while she took enough for the three of them to eat.

Carefully balancing the bowls on her way back, dew dampening her leather boots as she stalked through the grass, Elana was greeted by the sight of Bean babbling at the Mandalorian, eyes affectionate as he grasped at the thick fingers, claws grazing on the gloves.

"I brought some food, here you go," Elana said, setting one bowl with the spoon in it onto the table, before bending down and grabbing Bean.

"Thank you," the Mandalorian said, and with a last quirk of her lips at him, she settled her baby and herself right in front of the entrance, carefully blocking the view from potential curious villagers the best she could. Setting Bean with his back to her chest onto her lap, she started to feed him, the angle difficult, but she did not want Bean to sneak a glance because he did not know better.

The goop that was their breakfast tasted of krill and slightly like cardboard and some sort of grain as well, but since it was quite filling, Elana could not complain much. Better it tasted weird and was nutritious than the other way around.

Bean evidently did not share her opinion on that, and it was a struggle to get him to eat more than three spoonfuls. "Come on, sweetpea," Elana grumbled, "You're a bottomless pit most of the time."

Bean turned around, his ears squished against her chest, and gave her a pout. He sent a mental picture of a frog across the bond, and Elana resisted the urge to sigh.

"Do you really want to go catch frogs?" His large eyes lightened up, and he smiled, cooing in delight. Elana snorted, and set him down on the ground.

"There you go, little mudscuffer," she told him, "I'll wait here for you."

Bean toddled off, probably having found an unfortunate amphibian already, and it was slightly disconcerting how the child had such honed instincts for catching frogs. Elana slowly continued to eat while watching her baby waddle around, big ears flopping with every movement.

Footsteps sounded behind her, and she forced herself not to turn around on instinct because he could still be unmasked. Only when he was standing beside her did she glance up.

He gave her a single nod, which she offered back, and his visor turned towards the child again, who tackled a frog with his whole body, squeaking in glee, before swallowing it whole.

"He's improving," he said, which made pride swell in Elana's chest.

"Yeah," she said softly, stirring the stew with her spoon, "Little apex predator."

The Mandalorian huffed a laugh, and crossed his arms, shaking his head. "A terror to the local fauna."

Elana snorted, cracking a grin. "That he is."

Bean waddled back to them, a big smile on his face as he got closer, and he raised his arms at her, calling a loud "Eh!"

After setting the bowl aside, she clapped politely, and scooped him up. "Good job! You did perfectly!" Elana praised, and gave him a smooch on the forehead. Bean turned his head towards the Mandalorian, clearly expecting praise as well.

He chuckled low, and gave the baby a nod. "You did well," he said, and Bean's smile was blinding.

Elana could see an already familiar figure walking towards them, and she straightened up. "Morning, Cara," she greeted, giving her a wide smile.

"Morning," the shock trooper replied with a nod, and she went over to one of the ridiculously heavy weapon crates next to the hut before picking it up with little difficulty, which made Elana raise her eyebrows. Either she had to work on her upper body strength or Cara was devastatingly strong. Somehow, Elana had the niggling feeling that she needed to step up her game.

“You coming?” Cara asked the Mandalorian, “The sooner we start, the better chances we have.” With those words, she moved out of the barn, and walked towards the village square. The Mandalorian tilted his head at her, and Elana looked up, meeting his gaze.

"I'm thinking of giving the villagers a few lessons with the blasters," he started, sounding slightly hesitant, "If you want to, you can join them, or I can teach you afterwards."

"One-on-one would probably be better for an absolute beginner, right?"

"Not that much of a beginner," he said wryly, which made her raise her eyebrow at him.

"Gross overestimating of my skills," she said. Bean cooed loudly, and wriggled in her grasp. "Okay, okay," Elana said, and shifted him, "Got it, the grown-ups are boring, you want to find your new friends."

The Mandalorian snorted, and with a last nod, he picked up one of the weapon crates as well, and moved after Cara. Elana’s eyes lingered on the broad back of the bounty hunter, his helmet glinting in the sun, before he rounded a corner, disappearing from view. She glanced down on Bean, who was already trying to move towards the other houses and stood up, making their way to Omera's hut.

Winta was sitting right in front of the porch, tying her shoelaces as Elana arrived, and she waved excitedly at Bean, who was equally happy to see the girl. After a few short greeting words exchanged, Winta pointed Elana in the direction of her mother.

"I think Cara and the Mandalorian want to tell you of their plans shortly," Elana told Omera after exchanging _Good Mornings_ , and the dark haired woman nodded resolutely.

"I will spread the word, so we can assemble quickly," she reassured, before reaching out and gently bopping Bean's nose.

"How has he slept in a new environment?" Omera inquired.

"Better than I expected," Elana admitted, smiling, "He likes it here very much."

"If it were not for those raiders, the villages here are the perfect place for children to grow up," the other woman said with a sigh, a wistful look in her eyes, "It's very peaceful here."

Elana did not know what to reply to that, and settled on a little shrug, gazing at the lovely features of the woman before her. When Omera flashed her a little smile, before excusing herself, Elana felt her face become warm, and she quickly made her way back to Cara and the Mandalorian, feeling her cheeks burn.

They were standing at the edge of the village, and talked to each other quietly, looking up as Elana arrived. Cara cocked her eyebrow, and sighed. "This isn't going to be easy," she said, looking at the tree line, "I don't know if this will work out at all."

"It has to," the Mandalorian said, tilting his helmet slightly, crossing his arms. Elana looked at the both of them, frowning.

The sun was starting to rise over the tree tops and some of the villagers were already up and at them, standing knee deep in the krill ponds, fishing them out while others were feeding them.

"All right, I'll call them over. The sooner we get started, the better," Cara muttered, before confidently walking towards the edge of one of the ponds, and slowly the space filled with villagers, streaming towards the mercenaries, probably following the word of Omera.

It did not take long until they were all assembled, many now familiar faces staring back, standing in a half circle around the four of them. Elana subtly moved to the side so she was standing in the crowd of villagers, able to look at both Cara and the Mandalorian.

"Good morning, everyone," Cara started off, a cheery smile on her face, "I will come straight to the point. We have discussed how to help you with your raider problem, and this is what we've come up with."

The Mandalorian took her unspoken cue, and straightened. "You got two problems here," he said, standing tall, "You got the bandits, and you got the mech." Bean cooed quietly, and scratched lightly at her arms, and Elana readjusted him so he could watch the Mandalorian speak.

"We'll handle the AT-ST, but you gotta protect us when they come outta the woods. And I don't have to tell you how dangerous they are," he said, head tilting wryly, before gesturing to Cara. "Cara Dune here was a veteran. She was a drop soldier for the Rebellion, and she's gonna lay out a plan for you." She set her shoulders as the Mandalorian urged: "So listen. _Carefully_."

"Now, there's nothing on this planet that can damage the legs on this thing," Cara started out before smiling grimly, "So we're gonna build a trap. We're gonna need to dig real deep--"

At these words, Cara pointed towards the edge of the outermost krill pool, "--Right here, so that when it steps in, it _drops_." She gestured to the ponds, and made an accompanying gesture to give the words more weight, before continuing. "The two of us will hit their camp, provoke them. That'll bring the fight out of the woods and down here to us."

Elana noticed some villagers frowning nervously, but they did not say a word, just waited patiently for further explanation. The Mandalorian spoke up.

"I'm gonna need you to cut down trees and build barricades along these edges," he said, and pointed towards the ponds he meant, those Elana and he had been looking at yesterday, "I need it high enough so that they can't get over, and strong enough so that they can't break through."

He stopped for a second, and tilted his head. "Okay," the bounty hunter said, "Who knows how to shoot?"

Elana saw a movement out of the corner of her eyes, and her eyes widened as she saw that it was Omera who had raised her hand. If the amazed looks and high eyebrows of the surrounding villagers were any indication, it probably was a fact that she had kept to herself. Omera's face was stony and serious as she looked around and lowered her hand again, settling it on the shoulders of Winta, her knuckles white.

"Brilliant," Cara said, a reassuring smile on her face, "The more instructors we have, the better." The Mandalorian nodded in agreement, and crossed his arms.

"Let's get to work," he said calmly.

Murmurs started to rise, and the villagers sorted themselves into groups rather quickly.

A few leaders were selected, and before long, there were groups of diggers and builders and the tension between everyone could be cut with a vibroknife, expectations hanging in the air.

The rest of those that were not assigned to any task yet assembled themselves around Cara and the Mandalorian, and they made their way towards the weapon crates the Mandalorian had brought from the _Razor Crest_.

Elana watched in astonishment as the Mandalorian unpacked his whole arsenal for the villagers. How in the _galaxy_ did he have this many guns?

 _Weapons are part of his religion,_ she reminded herself, and even though she could definitely appreciate the uses of weapons, it was strictly _impossible_ for one man to carry around the sheer amount of them. The Mandalorian and Cara started handing out the weapons, warning that they should not do anything like pulling the trigger or disassembling them, and before long, about half of them had some kind of blaster in their hands.

"Those that don't have any guns, come to me!" Cara called out, cupping her hands by her mouth to amplify her voice, "We will switch places after lunch."

Following her command, the other half moved towards the shock trooper and Elana watched as they made their way to the other side of the village. She readjusted Bean on her lap, simply watching at first, since the Mandalorian had told her to observe.

The man in question cleared his throat, before he started talking to the group. "I need you to erect a shooting range, with targets around the height of your head. Anything that is sturdy enough is fine, like pots, cutting boards, I don't care. It should be able to endure some action, but don't expect to be able to use it afterwards."

Quickly moving through the rest of the instructions, the Mandalorian walked over to her and Bean once the villagers were busy building the structure necessary for the lesson to continue.

"Show me how you hold a blaster," he demanded and held out his own for her to take. Elana looked up at him, before carefully setting Bean down, the child looking curiously at the weapon. She reached out, her fingers brushing against the barrel first, before wrapping around it and she grasped it tightly in her hand. The blaster was surprisingly light and she inspected it closer, twisting and turning to give her a good look on it.

Hesitantly looking up at the Mandalorian, he gave her a helmet tilt to the side as if to wait for her to continue. Resisting the urge to sigh, Elana flipped it around so her finger was resting above the trigger but not touching it, and carefully aimed it at the ground, away from the green baby.

"Stand up, and take proper aim," the Mandalorian said, "I can teach you better if I have an idea how well you already can handle it."

Elana did as he said, careful in double checking on the safety of the blaster, before raising her arm like he had requested, aiming at a spot where no one was milling around, the barrel pointed towards the treeline.

Looking at him, she gave him half a shrug as he hummed low. "How's it look?"

"Not too bad," he said, sounding very neutral. Elana narrowed her eyes at him.

"Okay. Tell me what I need to fix," she said, listening intently.

"Shoulders back, wrist loose," he spoke immediately, "Your weight is distributed in a way that can stop you from drawing the blaster as fast as possible."

Tempted to make a face at him, Elana cocked her head. "What if I'm already taking aim?"

"You need steady hands," he replied as the villagers started to trickle back, a rack where before baskets were drying in the sun, remade as a temporary shooting range. Some pots and boards were hanging on strings, and it was impressive how fast they had whipped up that structure.

"It will save your life in the long run. Don't be afraid to pull the trigger and don't hesitate in shooting first," he continued, "Luck is good but never rely on it."

"I don’t," Elana protested. He said nothing and turned away, looking at the handiwork of the villagers instead.

The shooting range was finished, the targets hanging off the rack, and the Mandalorian was quick in getting the villagers to line up in a neat row.

"Before we even start, I want you to know that in training, no shot is wasted, so don't worry about not hitting the target at first," he said, arms crossed in front of his chest, his helmet tilted slightly, "But we only have a limited amount. I would prefer to have enough shots left for the battle, rather than having to restrict ourselves when blaster fire is raining on us."

Taking out his own blaster, he turned it around so he was showing them the weapon more clearly. "To make this as easy as possible, there is a trigger. You have to pull it," the Mandalorian said, and she actually had to give him credit for not sounding as patronising as he could considering his word choice, "When you pull it, a bolt comes out. Any questions?"

No one raised their hand or started to speak.

"Good," he made, and then cocked his head towards the shooting range in question, "Fire."

Elana watched as red blaster fire rained onto the unsuspecting pots and pans and tried not to wince as she saw that the villagers were just as good in shooting as she was. _This doesn't look good for the battle ahead,_ she could not help but think, a pang of despair setting in her heart.

The Mandalorian did not say anything to the abysmal display of skills, but just continued in encouraging the grimacing villagers. "No one has to shoot perfect at first. The main goal is to slow the raiders down, not to become sharpshooters overnight." He tilted his helmet, and nodded at them. "Again."

They continued for a few minutes, with everyone shooting on command before the Mandalorian cut them off. "Lets try this," he said, "Everyone has a single shot and we do it one by one, so you can see the process more easily."

Elana suspected that it was more an attempt to conserve the blaster batteries, the haphazard scorching of the missed shots dark against the grass and wood. It worked easier that way, and within a short period there was a lot of improvement from every single one, even if they still missed more than they actually hit. The only exception was Omera, who shot steady and true, her fingers curling around the trigger and barrel as if she had been raised with a blaster in her hand.

Elana watched the woman every time she took aim, fascinated by her skill, and she was not the only one, for she could see how the Mandalorian turned his helmet towards the dark haired woman. And she could not blame him at all, the tall woman looking radiant and dangerous with a weapon in her hand, a satisfied smile curling around her lovely mouth at every shot, dark eyes fierce.

Bean was getting bored with the repetitive show and he tugged at her sleeves, probably craving the hunt of frogs once again. After a few minutes more, the Mandalorian called for a stop and a break, the villagers slowly scattering after collecting the blasters and guns on one pile. Cara appeared as well, a slight grin on her face and a satisfied glint in her eyes as she walked towards Elana.

"They have some potential," Cara said and dropped down next to Elana, winking at the baby who cooed at her, "Some of them took to melee fighting rather nicely."

"That's good," Elana said, relieved for the villagers. If they could learn fast, the coordinated attack would have way higher chances of success.

"What I'm wondering is," Cara continued, "would _you_ take nicely to fighting?"

She stiffened, hands tightening around Bean's little frame. "Uh," was all she managed and her eyes darted towards the Mandalorian, who was collecting his weapons into the crate again, not appearing to pay any attention to their conversation.

"Have you fought hand-to-hand before?" Cara asked.

Elana shook her head, feeling a flush rising in her cheeks at the raised eyebrows of the trooper.

"Well," Cara stood up and motioned for her to put Bean down, "you gotta start somewhere."

"Go easy on me?" Elana tried to joke, carefully placing the baby on the ground. Bean looked up at her, eyes wide, sensing that something was about to happen.

Cara snickered. "Dream on."

~

Elana grunted as her back hit the ground again, knocking the air out of her.

"Mercy," she pleaded, knowing that it would not be granted as she lied there, gasping and trying to remember how to breathe.

"Not so fast, mama bear," Cara laughed, "You're getting better."

"I'm on the ground," she pointed out, squinting into the sky above her, taking in the blue colour, anything to distract from the current ache in her back and buttocks.

"You can still defend yourself on the ground," Cara said, and with a yell, she punched right at Elana's face. Something made her roll away to the side instantly, avoiding the hit narrowly, and Elana scampered on the ground in an undignified manner, trying to get up. Her thighs were shaking under the effort, and she dropped into the slight crouch Cara had shown her in the beginning.

The shock trooper grinned maniacally, hair sticking to her sweaty skin, and mirrored her movement.

Elana kept a careful eye on her, never letting her out of her sight.

"Try to hit me at some point where it would actually bother me," Cara taunted, "You're predictable."

"Fight dirty," the Mandalorian called out from where he was watching with crossed arms, Bean happily munching on a frog next to him, "Go for the weak spots, like the throat or the eyes."

"Not as easy when you're vertically challenged," Elana snapped with a snarl, not taking her eyes off the brawler in front of her.

The Mandalorian huffed, the sound cracking through the modulator. "You can always go for knees," he said, and Cara snorted at that.

Elana pouted, which made the other woman quickly backtrack, mirth in her eyes: "I mean, he's right. Knees are weak spots on any biped, easy to unbalance no matter at which angle you attack them. Just give it a good kick, and you can get your opponent down to your level."

"But if I actually kick you--" Elana tried to say, but Cara did not give her the time to finish, coming at her again. Blocking and avoiding hits the best she could, it was more luck than skill that had her lasting for more than ten seconds. But then, Cara got a good grip around her body, and she was unceremoniously slammed into the ground.

"Oof," she wheezed, seeing tiny stars dance in front of her eyes and Cara chuckled in response.

"Don't be dramatic," she admonished, and shifted on top of her, "Try to get on top."

"You're a mass of muscles," Elana strained, wriggling under the weight of the taller and broader woman.

"Doesn't matter, you can still flip me."

Elana let herself go lax, an idea forming in her head. Cara would expect her to tense up in any second, trying to catch her off guard. Elana had to try something different. So she turned her head to the side, towards where the Mandalorian and Bean were sitting.

"No, Bean, spit that--" Elana started to say, and when she felt Cara give the slightest, Elana lurched up, twisted her body so that in a flurry of movements, Cara's arms are pinned above her, and Elana was sitting on top, grinning triumphantly.

Cara looked at her with wide eyes, before starting to laugh. "Sneaky, mama bear," she wheezed, shoulders trembling, "Element of surprise, yeah, that's smart. But don't rely on it."

Elana breathed heavily, a broad smile on her face. She was sweaty and flushed and her hair was a mess, but she did it. She did it!

"Okay, short stuff," Cara said, patting Elana's thigh, before sitting up, Elana moving backwards so their heads would not collide, "How about you try this with Mando?"

Elana felt her heart skip a beat. "What?"

The Mandalorian whipped his head to Cara in her line of vision. Cara pushed her off her lap, Elana kneeling on the ground as Cara stood, dusting herself off. "Mando there has the more approximate weight a Klantoonian raider would have, with all the beskar on top," Cara said, pointing at him and the Mandalorian sighed heavily, before walking over.

Elana stood on shaky legs, not knowing if she would survive a round with him, not after Cara had already put her through the wringer.

The Mandalorian moved towards them, his movements slightly hesitant, and Elana swallowed thickly as she sized him up. He was taller and broader and stronger than she would ever be. Also the armour meant that she could not get good hits in, like with Cara. This was not gonna be easy.

"You okay?" he asked quietly, his voice gentle.

Elana squared her jaw, and nodded. She had asked him to teach her, it was not as if this scenario was unanticipated. And she trusted him enough to not hurt her when they trained, he was more than capable of reining back his own strength.

"Gotta brace for the worst, right?" Elana joked, rolling her shoulders back, falling into the position Cara had shown her.

He just tilted his head and got ready as well, his body taut with tension.

It was silent for a beat before the Mandalorian moved.

Elana barely managed to block, and she was aware that he was taking it easy on her, his movements were slow enough for her to stumble along more or less successfully. Ducking under his lunge with a twist of her body, she managed to get right behind him, kicking at the back of his knees. He saw it coming, though.

Mando locked his leg behind her ankle, and with a swift sweep, she was on the floor again. Her palms connected painfully with the dirt and she could barely stop her head from smacking harshly against the grass.

Rolling off the impact as best as she could, she stared up at the tall man, mind racing. How could she spin this? He was slow in approaching her, as if to judge whether or not she would stay down.

Elana lurched forward, tackling him with her full weight and momentum, and it was enough to get him to stumble. Using the hold Cara had demonstrated earlier, she used her entire strength to pin him down, chest heaving.

He gave her a slight head tilt. "You're improving," he said, voice light in approval.

She smiled breathlessly. At the angle she was perched on top of him, she could almost see a slip of his chin, and she quickly forced her eyes to flicker up to the visor again.

Then the Mandalorian grabbed her ankle, tugged at it, and before she knew it, she was on her back again, him holding her down. Her head connected painfully with the ground, and Elana wheezed at his full weight, beskar digging into her body while she saw stars from the impact.

"You gotta hit harder, though," he finished his assessment, and she could _hear_ the smugness through his helmet, "This won't keep a raider down."

"No need to break my wrist on the beskar," she strained, shoving at his shoulder, "Get off, get _off_."

He obliged, holding a hand out to her to tug her up, which she took after a moment's hesitation. Cara was standing on the side, arms crossed, looking amused. "That was cute," she commented, cocking her head with a dirty grin, "Get a room though, this is training only."

They both took a step away from each other simultaneously, and Elana gave Cara a nasty glare. "Get your mind out of the gutter," she said with an exasperated look, to which the shock trooper just cackled.

"No seriously," Cara wheezed, "The look on your face--"

Mando interrupted her with a "Cut it out", shifting his weight to his other leg, before turning to Elana.

"Try again," he instructed, giving her a serious nod, "Don't hold back."

Elana raised her brows, and took a deep breath. _You can do this,_ she told herself sternly, _He is just someone you have no chance in defeating._

She watched as Mando squared his shoulders and gestured for her to come at him. "If it helps," he said, "Pretend that I'm a raider that got Bean."

Those words were like a bucket of ice down her spine, and Elana stood up straighter, narrowing her eyes at him.

Her eyes flickered to the little green child who was happily ignoring them while playing with some twigs, his ears twitching in the warm sunlight and a smile on his face.

Elana's eyes hardened, and she looked back at the Mandalorian again, clenching her jaw. _Shouldn't be too hard,_ an ugly part of her snarled, _Arvala-7 was not that long ago_. Elana pushed it down, feeling her resolve turn to ice shards, her body readying her for the attack.

She angled her body like Cara had shown and waited for him to make the first move.

He did.

And this time he was stronger, his longer limbs reaching her easier and he was _wickedly_ fast. Elana countered the best she could, managing to get him on his side a few times, but it was futile. No matter how hard she tried, the moment she made the mistake of stumbling, he had her on the floor in seconds. Standing above her, barely seeming out of breath, he crouched down to her height. She sat up with slight difficulty, glaring at him.

"You're not bad," the Mandalorian said, and that only made her glare harder.

"Yeah, I can see that," she snapped, feeling frustrated. If this was him taking it easy on her, there was no chance she could manage to protect herself or Bean, especially with the attack that was imminent.

The Mandalorian tilted his head, lighter fingertips drumming against his knees, and he grabbed her arm, tugging her upright again. "You're forgetting one important thing," he said, before letting her go, "you're currently unarmed."

Elana looked up at him, not understanding.

He took out his vibroknife, flicked it so the handle would be facing her and motioned for her to come closer.

"If you're in close combat? You use this."

She reached out, and took the vibroknife without touching his fingers. Testing the weight in her hand, she rolled her wrist, the smooth handle cold under her palm.

"This is from the covert, and is a bit stronger than what you can find on the market," Mando said, gesturing to the little switch on the side.

Elana turned it on, and the knife came to life, humming in her hand like a jar full of angry bees.

"This cuts through stormtrooper armour, and will cut through the armour of the raiders as well. Use this, go for the neck, eyes, sides, wherever you can reach," he instructed further, and Elana looked down on the weapon in her hand, swallowing hardly.

"With any luck, you won't need to use it." His voice was firm, but gentle, and she took a deep breath.

 _I really hope so_ , Elana thought, getting ready for another lesson, _I really, really hope so._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! Your support and feedback means everything to me, I absolutely adore seeing your thoughts!!  
> Have a nice day!!  
> Love, Rea


	17. The Raid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elana and the Mandalorian make some progress. The villagers free themselves from the raiders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hello! I know it's been a bit so thank you so much for your patience, this chapter is almost 10k long to make up for the wait! There are a lot of things happening and I hope you will like this!
> 
> Warnings: canon-typical violence including blood, wounds, gore (?), death, near death scenario. Guns and knives are used to kill.  
> Soft warnings: some good old tension between our favourite pair, simping for both Cara and Omera by yours truly, many soft family domestic feels, Bean is a cutie and it's a crime I cannot cuddle him
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!

There had been nothing but preparations for the imminent attack the last four days. Elana had helped with various tasks all around, doing her best to actually earn their keep instead of freeloading. Also, she could not stand doing nothing, and the village offered more than enough in terms of distraction.

She helped to cook, to mend clothes, she carried things around, helped with the digging. Standing hip deep in muddy water, sweat running down her back as she lifted basket after basket, getting the pond to a certain depth. The clothes she had been given by various villagers clung wetly to her in the cool pond, vaguely uncomfortable, but Elana figured that if the farmers could stand in the water the whole day to collect the krill, she could manage the few hours’ shift. 

The lessons the Mandalorian and Cara gave every day were paying off, the slow confidence and hope in every single one of the village’s inhabitants almost perceptible, and the more practice they got, the lighter the weight on their shoulders seemed to be.

Elana was slowly becoming more or less proficient in basic self defense as well, Cara a patient teacher when it came to hand-to-hand, and she preferred to fight against her since the shock trooper was more likely to teach her dirty tricks and brawling strategies. Also, Cara did not hesitate with her attacks, unlike the Mandalorian, who was exceedingly careful the few times Cara prompted him, not going at her as hard as he could. For some part, Elana was very thankful for that, because he was absolutely _brutal_ even when holding back for her, extremely efficient and fast as hell. It was frightening and admirable at the same time.

He had taught her a few tricks with the vibroknife, though. Despite the natural innate talent in Elana to be absolutely adverse to fighting, she dared to say that she could probably hold her own with a knife. 

Probably. If it were not too many people.

She needed to work on it.

Anyways, Elana was fairly confident that should the attack go sideways, she would be able to take out at least one of the raiders. 

She had been assigned to look after the children during the raid, Omera insisting that she should not be dragged into the mess of the battle if possible, since Elana was inexperienced with fighting, and did not have any other ties to the village. Every adult that was able would fight, but it is because their home is threatened. Elana was not from Sorgan and was dragged into the whole thing, Omera had argumented, and protecting the children as a last defense away from the heat of the fight would be the safest place for her while still being helpful. Cara had seconded Omera’s logic.

The Mandalorian said nothing to it, but Elana noticed how his shoulders were more relaxed after they had discussed that particular detail of the battle.

Bean was happily making friends with the children in the village, every single one of them delighted at having another playmate, and it was not long before he was passed between them like a little pet. It was weird at first that she did not have to look after him every second or worry about him, since there was always one pair of eyes trained onto the littlest member in the community.

Winta was the one he stuck to first, then there was the daughter of Caben, Jennie, who loved to play with Bean, then the nephews from Yennal, Mers and Jadd. Then there were Marya, Sebby and Jake. It was a relief, to be able to help with the village and talk to the many people without having to worry about Bean. If it were not for the imminent attack, Elana would have been completely relaxed on Sorgan, making friends and being able to breathe, free of fear from bounty hunters. Sorgan was… a little sanctuary.

And with every passing hour, Elana could understand why the villagers would fight tooth and nail to keep it as such.

After her shift for digging and transporting the mud has ended, wringing out the heavy fabric of her dress, the water from the ponds soaking the grass beneath her feet, she stood as straight as she could, balancing out her aching back from the hours of labour. Using a rag to dry off her hands and wiping the sweat from her face, she used the designated spot for refreshing to make herself more presentable. Elana would probably seek out either Omera or Leri to go to the river later on for a more thorough clean up, but for now, it sufficed. 

Then, she started to look around, searching for her little green child, checking the various squares until she found him.

"Girls!" Elana called, doing her best to frown at them, but it was not easy to hold in her amused smile when the sight in front of her was so utterly adorable. Marya -- the little blonde girl who was Winta's best friend -- hid her face in her hands and giggled, trying to block Elana's view without success. 

Bean was sitting in a big mud puddle, his ears turned towards her as he cooed loudly, seemingly finding nothing wrong with his current seat.

"What is he doing in there?" Elana asked, unable to hide her smile, crossing her arms. Winta and Marya looked at each other, trying to hold in their giggles and failing.

"He fell in, Miss Elana," Marya said in her sweet voice, "and he liked it so much he would not let us get him out."

"He's very slippery," Winta added with wide, innocent eyes, "he would not let us get him out!"  
Elana nodded dubiously while looking at the mud stained hands of the two children. Clearly they had been playing with mud as well. 

Bean cooed loudly again, trying to push himself up from the puddle he was in, but he must have been standing on his robes, because he fell into the sludge like a ragdoll, face forward.  
The girls gasped in shock and Elana was at his side in a matter of seconds. Bean looked up, face covered in dark earth and his face scrunched up, the little one starting to cry. She gently pulled him into her arms while he put his palms in front of his face, obviously where it hurt the most. As soon as he settled into her, he pushed his face into the front of her shirt, his wail muffled by her chest while his claws tightened around the fabric.

"We're very sorry, Miss," Marya said quietly, a guilty look on her face. Elana smiled reassuringly at the two girls, patting on the little child's back.

"Don't worry, he's just small," she told them, before tilting her head. "Where are the other children?"

"They're helping with carrying the mud baskets," Marya explained, and Winta chimed in: "Britta told us to watch Bean as long as you're not back."

Elana nodded in understanding, Bean still crying into her, so she shifted the little bundle and made to stand up. "Help your parents some more, okay?"

The two exchanged a glance, before giving her thumbs up each, Elana hiding her smile at that.

While the girls disappeared out of sight, Elana moved back to Leri’s hut, where the Mandalorian and Cara were strategizing together, talking in fast, hushed voices. Bean was slowly calming down, just a few sniffles and hiccups escaping him while he snuggled into her. When she arrived at the two fighters, Cara greeted her with a big smile before her gaze dropped to Bean.

"Woah, little man," Cara said, brows raised high, "What happened to you?"

Bean glanced down on himself, and as if reminded of the mud clinging to him and how much it bothered him, he started to cry again, fat tear droplets running down his face. 

"Oh," Elana murmured, carefully wiping away the tears from his face, mindful of his large eyes, "Come on, sweetpea, it's not that bad."

Somehow, he did not want to calm himself down, having worked himself into a little tantrum now and she just sighed, sitting down on the little terrace of the barn. She looked expectantly at both the Mandalorian and Cara, who were observing them, and jerked her chin at the pair. 

"Don't mind us, we're not even there," she said, ignoring the muffled wailing into her shoulder.

"The raiders will probably launch a complete frontal offensive, they have strength in numbers and the intimidation technique is working well for them," the Mandalorian said, polishing one of his blasters, his voice low through the modulator.  
It was surprisingly easy to listen to him, the way his voice told so much of what his helmet hides. Only by listening to him, she could almost picture the expressions he would make under the helmet.

"Mmh," she made while gently patting Bean’s back, up and down in a soothing rhythmic motion.

The Mandalorian continued, "If we time it correctly, it should be like a surprise attack, because they would not expect any resistance after many times of just doing what they wanted."

They exchanged a look, before Cara shrugged, cocking her brow.

"Anyways, I've worked with them on the melee fighting overall, they make fast improvements but, y'know. Being able to stand in formation does not equal to them having actual fighting experience."

"Their aim is doing much better," the Mandalorian said quietly, "they can hit the target most of the time, exception being Omera, she hits dead centre every time."

Cara twisted towards Elana, looking at her in curiosity. "Has she told you anything about where she learned it? You seem pretty close in such a short time."

Fighting down her blush, Elana shrugged with one shoulder, the small child in her arms having calmed down from his tantrum, only quiet whines making their way out of his mouth. "It's only been a few days, I haven't talked to her _that_ much," Elana said, face growing hot, "and we mostly talked about the kids and not about weapons and fighting."

"While we are on the topic of fighting," the Mandalorian interjected dryly, "Do you wanna go?"

She looked at him as if he had grown a second head. "What?" Elana asked, not understanding what had prompted his line of thought. 

"Your lessons," he said, shifting in his seat, tilting his head at her. 

She squinted at him in confusion before it hit her. "Oh," she said, "oh, okay. Now?"  
"If you want to."

Looking down at the now quiet Bean, who was playing with the end of her braid, she gently extracted it from his claws, careful with his little digits. He seemed to have calmed down now, looking up at her with big eyes, and he sniffled at her, which made her smile.  
_You okay?_ Elana sent to him over the bond, Bean pushing a warm feeling back. Then she turned towards Cara, who was watching them with high eyebrows and a twitching corner of her mouth. 

"He's pretty dirty, we gotta clean him up first," Elana said, fingers rubbing at the mud covered robes Bean was sitting in.

"I can take him," Cara said, holding out her hands. Elana looked at the trooper with a surprised face. "I thought you didn't do the baby thing," she said dryly.

Cara snorted. "I don't," she replied, "But Leri likes him a lot, she would not mind."

"Bold of you to assume that she would want to bathe him," Elana said skeptically, "I don't want to impose, it won't take too long."

"Stop arguing with me," Cara said and smirked at her, "The sun is about to set and you have to get to your lessons."

Elana squinted at her in suspicion. Then, she looked to Mando. He had folded his hands in his lap, politely looking away and removing himself from the situation, being unhelpful. Elana made a face at him.

"I don't want to inconvenience you--" she started to protest again when Cara looked over her head and called out: "Leri!"

Looking over her shoulder, Elana could see the redhead walking with a basket full of mud, her face red from extortion.

"Yeah?" Leri called back, brows furrowed. "Would you mind giving Bean a bath?" Cara called again.

"Sure, why not," Leri said, placing the basket down. "I mean, look at myself, I gotta clean up as well. One Bean more would not hurt."

Handing the little one off was easier than expected, other than a wide-eyed look to Elana as Leri picked him up, he did not make any sounds of protest, cooing at the redhead with his sweet little voice. The Mandalorian stood up and with a final goodbye, started to lead her towards the walkways between the ponds, and made their way to the edges of the forest.

~

"Okay," the Mandalorian said, his modulated voice crackling near her head, "Show me your aim."

Elana did, planting her feet firmly into the ground, at hips width, slightly angled to the side, hand wrapped securely around the blaster. The setting sun was painting golden strokes across the dark bark of the tree stump she was looking at, the dark green moss setting off little spores every now and then, the particles catching the sunlight and floating in the air. 

There were only the two of them just outside the perimeters of the village, if she looked to the left, she would be able to see the ponds and the tall huts. He had proposed the plan that outside, they would be able to work on her blaster skills without risking the children or curious onlookers accidentally walking into the fire line. Elana had tried not to be offended at the insinuation that she would shoot _that_ badly, but at the same time, but she also knew that she had never successfully fired a weapon, with Arvala-7 being the only exception. So she had deferred to his experience in this case, and relented.

"Good," he praised as she took proper aim, "Just like that, just hold the blaster a bit higher."  
She followed his instructions, and he hummed approvingly.

"Your stance is good, you just need a bit of..." he trailed off, and before Elana knew it, he gently pushed her shoulder back with one hand, and the other one found its way to her hip, slightly pulling her closer to him, "...that."

Her face suddenly felt very warm, and she swallowed hard, adjusting to the new stance.  
"That's good," he said, and he stepped back again, giving her a once over, "Just like that."

"What should I shoot at, then?" Elana asked, grateful that her voice was steady.

"Fall out of the position," he said, before raising his arm and pointing towards a broken branch that was already dead and hanging low, "and then shoot at that." She did exactly as he said, minding the changes he had suggested, the places where he touched her slightly tingling, and aimed at the branch. "Now, pull the trigger."

She missed. But it was a close thing, so she counted it as a half-victory. "Not bad," the Mandalorian said after a beat.

Elana snorted, and gave him a look over her shoulder. "You hesitated," she said, "No need to spare my feelings."

"Yet you got me in the pauldron on Arvala-7."

She dropped her arms, fully turning around. "You remember that?" Elana asked incredulously, a laugh escaping her. 

"Hard not to," he said dryly. She looked at him, unable to hide the incredulous furrow of her brow. 

"I don't believe you, you had just mowed down the entire encampment, I was nothing special. Also, it was just luck."

He hummed, straightening a bit and tilting his helmet down towards her.  
"Luck is essential in fighting. Even the most hardened warriors can die at the hands of an inexperienced fighter. If the timing is just right, someone can get you right in a vulnerable place. Or the surrounding puts you at a disadvantage. Anyone can have bad luck, and your survival depends on if you can use chance in your favour."

Elana shrugged, a smile on her face. He gestured to the branch again. Elana took aim, squared her shoulders, and fired. She missed again.

"Come on, Caretaker," the Mandalorian said, "crossing his arms, "You can do better, right?"

She huffed, before turning around to him. "Do you know my name?" Elana asked, genuinely curious. 

The Mandalorian was clearly taken aback, and he tilted his head slightly, shifting his shoulders minutely. He said nothing and gave a stiff nod.

"Why don't you ever call me by it?"

It was silent between them and Elana was already thinking about how to backtrack, how to defuse this situation, when he responded: "You did not give me permission to use it."

Elana blinked, taken aback.

"I didn't address you because I didn't want to overstep," he continued, sounding sheepish, and she smiled involuntarily.

"Well," she said, feeling her face heat up as she realised something, "It's not as if I had asked you for your name as well."

The Mandalorian huffed once, swinging his arm slightly, fingers curling. "That's alright," he said with an audible curve of his lips. 

She decided to switch the blaster to her non-dominant hand, and reached out to him, palm open. "Call me Elana?" Her small smile widened even more when he took her hand, squeezing it gently, the leather warm and soft against her skin. 

"Elana," he said, and the sound of her name, spoken in his deep voice, made something flutter in her chest. 

"What can I call you?" Elana asked to distract herself from the feeling, "Is there a nickname you prefer?"

He let go of her hand, giving her a head tilt, and she got the impression that he was smiling. 

"Mando is fine," he said.

Elana squinted up at him, a soft quirk of her lips making its way onto her face. She considered asking if he had a name other than that as well, but decided not to pry. If Mando is what he wanted to be called, so be it.

"Okay," she said, mirroring Mando by tilting her head the same way, before switching the blaster in her hands again. "Can I try once more?"

"Of course."

While they went through the motions again, his voice firm in the instructions, Elana thought to herself how the bounty hunter was actually… quite nice. And pleasant to be around. He was respectful and quiet and slightly awkward at times, but that was alright. Maybe they could become friends, Elana mused, smiling to herself. That smile only widened when she managed to hit the target after quite a few rounds of practise, the branch smoking from the blaster shot. She would be embarrassed by it taking so many tries, but there is no way to make a sharpshooter out of her in one day, she supposed. 

Mando hummed approvingly. "That's good," he said, and she turned to him with a wide grin, elated at her success.

"Compliments to the teacher," Elana said softly, watching how the sunset reflected off his helmet. 

"Do you want to do some hand-to-hand as well?" His voice was gentle. 

Elana snorted. "Is that your way of telling me I’m terrible at it?"

He shook his head. "Don’t underestimate your skills," he said, "You’re not half bad at it, give yourself some credit."

She squinted at him, but decided not to say anything and handed his blaster back to him, starting to fold back her sleeves to prepare for the oncoming lesson. Elana knew that she would never even come close to the easy way Mando or Cara or Omera would handle themselves, their fluid way of fighting, it was just not something she would ever be good at. She could learn some things, but she doubted that her aversion to violence would ever change. 

"Okay," the Mandalorian told her, rolling his shoulders and getting ready for the next lesson, "There are a few things you should have down already."

Elana nodded, finishing her braid quickly, tossing it over her shoulder as soon as it was secured.

"Revise what we have covered."

Elana blinked at him and then stared, slightly amused. What was this, a pop quiz? "Well, there are places where you can always inflict pain," she repeated what Cara had, quite literally, hammered into her, "Like, the eyes, nose, throat, solar plexus, groin, knees."

"Good," he said, "and more?"

"If in doubt, always use your elbow to strike."

"That as well."

Mando started to circle around her, his helmet tilted in such a way she knew that he was scrutinizing her critically. He reached out after he completed the circle and positioned her upper body with his hands on her shoulders.

"If someone grabs you like this, how do you defend yourself?"

She stared at his visor, feeling a flush starting to creep up her face. "Jab you on your side, get my elbow up when you flinch back and hit you on the side of your head."

"Try it."

She did it as he said, and centimetres away from actually hitting him, she stopped.

Mando tilted his head at her and nodded in approval. "This works with a flash attack but you'll have to work a bit more if you want to get your opponent down."

Elana rolled her wrists, and tried to come at him again. It was to no one’s surprise when he was quick in getting her on the floor, her rolling off the impact. 

"You alright?"

Breathing hard, she smiled up at him, moving to stand up. Without warning, she tried to attack again, but he was quick in grabbing her arm and twisting it behind her back, Elana gasping in alarm. 

"You're getting faster," he said as he let her go again, taking a step back and opening his stance some more. 

"Doesn't feel like it," Elana mumbled, shaking out her wrist and rolling her shoulders before she tried to get a hit in again. This time, she managed to unbalance him and get him to stumble, but his hand shot out like a snake and tugged her along, getting her on the floor where he quickly gained the upper hand again. Elana grunted as the back of her head hit the soft forest ground, already knowing that there will be pine needles stuck in her hair for hours.

"You okay?" Mando asked, reaching out to pull her on her feet again. She nodded, and with an approving tilt, they started again. 

After quite a few tries, Elana was wheezing slightly, feeling the heaviness of the day settling in, the manual work her body had to endure since this morning making itself noticeable, and she really wondered how Mando did not even seem out of breath. 

Probably through training all these years, she supposed; she would easily handle fighting as well if she was surrounded by it for her whole life. 

Suddenly realising how dark it had gotten, she jerked upright, looking at him with big eyes. "Oh, kriff," she cursed, "We have to go back to the village!"

His head snapped up as if he only just realised the time as well, and he silently held out a hand for his blaster, which she handed to him. They started to make their way back to the collection of huts, carefully watching their step on the forest floor, it was steadily getting darker and darker, the tall treetops swallowing the last bits of natural light. When they finally arrived at the hut, it was almost completely dark, the yellow lights and little fireplaces everywhere guiding their steps while the stars above reflected in the krill ponds. 

Making a beeline for Omera's hut, Elana saw through the window how the dark haired woman was carefully feeding Bean, a napkin tucked into the front of his robes while Winta was enthusiastically talking about her day. 

"Goodness, we're so sorry," Elana told her as she made her way into the hut, Mando right behind her. Bean turned around, mouth smeared with food, and babbled, his face lighting up.

Omera just smiled, and brushed her hair behind her shoulder. "Oh, it's fine," she said softly, a gentle look on her face, "He was a delight to watch, honestly."

Winta nodded with a grin. "Bean is super cute," she informed them, making Mando snort quietly, "we played with pebbles."

Omera scooped up the last bit of food in the bowl, and fed it to him. Bean's teeth cracked against the wooden spoon as he bit down enthusiastically, humming a fragment of a melody on his own. Elana went over to the table to wipe the little baby's mouth before taking him into her arms, him letting himself be carried easily. The bond was warm and content, and Bean snuggled into her side.

"Thank you so much for this," Elana told Omera, smiling brightly at the beautiful woman, feeling her face become warm as the other's eyes crinkled in amusement. 

"He likes it here a lot, you can always bring him to us if you need a break," Omera said, shooting her a little wink. 

"Bye, Bean!" Winta called from her seat, waving, and Bean waved back with his little hand, "Good night!"

The child babbled something which made the girl giggle, and with a last wave, the three of them left Omera's hut, making their way back to the barn.

Bean was trying to tell Elana of his day, both with little chirps and fragments of pictures over their bond, and it made her smile. "Oh, really?" she mumbled as he was saying something about Winta's plushies, shooting a glance at the Mandalorian, who huffed in amusement.

The sky was already dark, and passing by some familiar faces, she nodded politely at Yennal, who was talking to Stoke. Upon seeing them, Stoke lit up, and walked over with a big smile.

"Hey, little one," he greeted Bean first, who cooed loudly, before looking at her and Mando. "I just wanted to say thank you again, for all the training, and the weapons," Stoke said to Mando, who tilted his head. 

"You're welcome," he said.

"I mean, we are very glad you decided to help us," the other man continued, smiling slightly awkwardly if genuine, "the community is grateful, and if everything goes right, we can offer you lodging for as long as you want to stay."

Elana blinked, taken aback. "That's very kind of you," she said when Mando stayed silent, "thank you for this offer."

Stoke's face softened and he shrugged slightly. "It's the least we can do."

"Thank you," Mando said and offered the other man a nod. In that moment, Bean yawned loudly and whined afterwards, little claws digging into her clothes. Elana grimaced at the prick, gently extracting him, and Stoke used that opportunity to bid them goodbye.

"Sleep well, little one," he told Bean before giving her and Mando a big final smile, "Goodnight, both of you."

They parted ways, the binary moons of Sorgan illuminating the path, and back in the hut, Elana sat Bean into the crib while Mando lighted the lanterns, illuminating the barn in a soft light.

Bean made a grumpy face at being placed down and made that displeasure known.  
"Oh, shush," Elana said, "You've been playing the whole time, don't give me that look."

The child just whined loudly, before settling into his blankets, playing with some threads of the soft blue fabric.

Mando started to take off his armour pieces and began to polish them, his hands careful with the beskar even though nothing on this planet would be able to leave scratches of any sort on the surface. After cleaning up and sorting through her things carefully, Elana mended a small rip in one of Bean’s undersuits, the stitches neat from practise, while the little child babbled something to himself, making sounds that almost sounded like a lothcat purring. She smiled at the content sound, reaching out with a gentle hand brush over his chubby cheek, tapping his right ear with a playful nose scrunch. Bean glanced up at her and cooed in confusion and the look on his face made her stifle a giggle. 

The two of them started to make faces at each other, Bean giggling in delight whenever she squinted suspiciously at him, the expression inexplicably funny to him, for some reason, his tiny teeth peeking out.

At some point, Bean started to become sleepy, his eyes drifting shut every once in a while, and while Mando went through his armoury, cleaning his assets, Elana took the child out of the crib to hold him, the warmth of his little body soothing, and tried to get him to sleep. Bean tilted on her chest, she swayed from side to side, moving softly, her hand cradling the backside of his head. He was snuggling against her collarbone, his cheek squished against her skin as he made little noises, almost as if humming a song. Elana could feel how close he was to sleep, his breath evening out more and more, and she pressed soft kisses on his wrinkled head, smiling at the huff he made in response to it.

When she turned, she could see how Mando was watching them. Shooting him a nod and a smile, she continued swaying, listening to how Bean started to snore, burying his face into her clothes, his claws bunching the fabric. 

"We would probably hit their camp tomorrow, depending on how the weather is," Mando said quietly, nimble fingers taking apart his blaster. Elana nodded, lying her cheek against the flat top of the baby's head, feeling the soft skin against hers, protectively holding him tightly to herself.

"If the night is clear, it would make things easier for the village. There will be enough smoke as it is when the Walker is firing on the village, we don't need to add fog to it."

"What about rain? Wouldn't it be easier if it helps with extinguishing fire?" Elana murmured quietly, putting the bundle of brown robes into his crib, not completely letting go of him as he still clung to her hand, unwilling to part with the warmth. Carefully smoothing over his brows, his cheeks, she kept her touch light as to not disturb him, heart at peace with every steady rise and fall of his little chest. 

"Limited visibility," Mando said, starting to take off his shin guards and pauldron, taking a rag to carefully wipe them down, "It won't help us if both sides can't see."

Finally managing to extract her hand from the baby's grip, she went over to her bag on the other side of the curtain, taking out the shirt she slept in. Careful as to not disturb the thin piece of fabric between them, she quickly changed, letting her hair down, nimble fingers unbraiding the long strands and massaging her sore scalp.  
"What do you think will happen tomorrow?" Elana asked, brushing through her long dark hair, eyes fixed on the wicker basket wall in front of her.

"With any luck, not much other than some injuries and maybe no houses burned down." The dry note in his voice made her snort, shaking her head.

"Is it probable?" It was silent behind her, before Mando sighed deeply. 

"Elana," he said and it was as if he was trying out the sound of that, the syllables spoken in his pleasant baritone made her breath catch. "You should be safe, staying with the children and the Elders, but… If anything goes… wrong--" he started to say, but she cut him off.

"Don't say that," she whispered, "Your plan is good. Solid. It's the best plan for this scenario, and you know it. I have your knife, remember? And I think I'm decent enough to ward off attackers."

"That you are," he said, sounding softy amused.

Elana huffed, unable to hide her wry smile at the note in his voice. "Are you making fun of me?"

"I would never."

The silence between them was comfortable and she shifted to the side, watching the silhouette of his body contrasting against the dim lamp on his side, following the sharp outline of the helmet with her eyes.

"I hope everything will go smoothly," she whispered, unable to help herself. Bean made a little coo while sleeping and Elana looked towards the crib, seeing a long green ear stick out of his bundle. Her heart warmed at the sight, but worry still gnawed at her.

Mando was quiet and exhaled softly. "I'm sorry to have dragged you into this."

Elana looked to the side, a slight frown on her face as her eyes shifted around. "It's alright," she managed. But it sounded strained, too strained for him not to pick it up.

Mando said nothing, and she could feel the guilt rolling off him in waves. Clenching her jaw, she suddenly felt annoyance flare up in her. The attack was imminent and it was only _now_ that he thought about what she would want? That she could have preferred another way, keeping Bean safe through other means? Their deal was to escape the Imperials and to find a way to get rid of Bean’s bounty, not getting into trouble by stopping along the way. 

"It's too late for that anyways." Elana's voice was quiet, and she resisted to make a face.

"I should have asked you first," Mando said, and it sounded like an apology. 

"You should have," Elana agreed softly as to not wake up the baby. In the same moment, she wished that she had not sounded so condescending, that she would have managed her temper a bit better. Anything else than to antagonize him once more, just because she could, in the knowledge that he would not hurt her for it. She closed her eyes in shame. If she had interjected at any point in their stay, he probably would have at least escorted her back to his ship or ensured their safety in any other way. He would not break their deal like that, she trusted him enough for this.

"I'm doing my best," he said, and it sounded like he was speaking through clenched teeth.  
Elana swallowed down the scathing remark she could throw at him, and took a deep breath, calming herself. "I'm sorry," she whispered instead, voice so soft she was not sure if he could hear it, "I know and I am thankful for that."

There was silence behind the curtain.

"I would appreciate it if we could talk about it first, though. For the next time something like this happens," Elana tried to reverse the tension between them, hoping that her apology seeped through the words and that he would pick up on that. Cursing herself for her quick temper, she hoped with all her heart that he would not take offense.

"Noted," Mando said, and his voice sounded more relaxed than before. She smiled at that, relief spreading in her chest, a weight she did not know before dissipating. 

"Sleep well," she murmured, twisting her hair into a single braid, throwing a last glance onto the crib where she could see one green ear peeking out from his blankets, "Good night."  
"Good night," he returned the soft words, and she thought he sounded slightly… different. 

Voice fuller and lighter. Not… modulated.

But that must have been imagination. 

~

The next day the tension in the village was high, the second Mando and Cara had announced that they would initiate the attack that night, people sprung into action.

Some last corrections were made, the barricades reinforced, everything that needed to be addressed was taken into consideration. Final check ups were done, the last targets were attacked, going through the formations for the last time. 

Elana was busy with making food, looking after the children, and keeping them occupied while the others were preparing.

The vibroknife was heavy in the sheath Mando had given her, hanging at her hip, and she could not help but trace her fingers over the handle every now and then, thinking about how utterly unprepared she was with this weapon, how unsuited for fighting she was, insecurity creeping up with every passing hour. Elana was no born fighter, how was she going to handle this? How could she hold her own? Especially not if it would be a Klantoonian raider who had no qualms cutting her down.

 _Shut up, brain,_ Elana told herself, taking a deep breath, _you are not helping, shut up and let me keep some hope._

The day felt like it would never end, but at the same time, the hours flew by like nothing.

~

Elana fussed over Bean's robes, a frown on her face as she bit her lip, eyes fixed on the little one. There was a shadow in the doorway, blocking the light from the outside, the setting sun disappearing behind the treetops. 

When Elana looked up, the Mandalorian was standing out there on the porch, left arm leaning against the wall as he waited for her to notice him, offering her a patient nod. Glancing back at Bean, she scooped him up and tilted the little one against her chest, the baby babbling at her with raised ears. She walked out on the porch with the small child, and looked up at the Mandalorian, heart feeling heavy, a lump in her throat. Elana hoped with all her heart that everything would go according to plan. 

"The sun is about to set," he said gently, tilting his head at her and she exhaled, brows furrowed, "When we return, we're coming in hot."

"Please be safe," Elana said, eyes roaming over the blank, familiar beskar surface, the T-visor trained on her, "Cara and you, please be careful."

He nodded once, and reached out to gently tap against Bean's little palm. "Take care of Bean?" The Mandalorian asked, voice soft, and she looked down at the green child, who was watching her with big, warm eyes.

"As if you need to tell me that," she quipped, giving the Mandalorian a small smile that vanished quickly, replaced by worried eyes, "Take care of yourself."

He was still as a statue, except for a slight tilt of his helmet. "I will," he replied and she found her breath hitch the slightest at the way he spoke the words, heavy with promise.

Cara appeared from the side, giving both of them a grim nod. "It's time," she said, coming up the steps to the barn and she smiled at Elana. The taller woman pulled her into a hug, careful not to squash Bean, and Elana hugged her back, eyes squeezing shut.

"Be safe," she asked of Cara, mumbling it into her armour, "Please, be safe."

Cara huffed a laugh, and slightly pulled back, looking her in the eyes. "Mando and I are gonna be fine," she said, jerking her head in the direction of the bounty hunter, and he gave her a nod as if to confirm it, "Those raiders won't see us coming."

Elana smiled weakly, feeling her eyes sting at the thought of something happening to the both of them and blinked fast to chase the sudden wetness away. "Still," she said, and Bean cooed loudly as if to reassure her.

Care gently patted at her cheek, eyes crinkling as she smiled. "Oh, you're too sweet," she said, before looking at Mando.  
"Come on, let's go, find Omera before we head out."

Elana watched as the both of them walked away, stopping next to Omera for a short second, the three of them nodding at each other, before continuing on. 

The widow made her way to the barn, a reassuring smile on her face. "Hey, Elana," she greeted, eyes serious, "You don't need to worry."

Elana took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on the two fighters who were striding towards the forest line, disappearing between the tall trees. "I just hope everything goes well."

"It will," Omera said, hand coming up, resting on her shoulder, the warmth of her seeping through Elana's shirt. She turned her head to the older woman, taking comfort in the beautiful dark eyes of her, and managed a weak smile. Omera smiled back, her eyes crinkling in a lovely way, and Elana felt her cheeks warm in response to the kind face of the widow.

"Let's round up the children," Elana said quietly, "The sooner we're ready, the better."

It was a quick affair, the little inhabitants of the village already being more quiet than usual, their faces somber, and Elana helped with ushering the children into the spotchka storage, the large hut at the side of the village, the one with the steadiest walls. She decided not to remark on how the overhead beams were not strong enough to withstand the building collapsing, and with a prayer sent starwards, she ignored it.

Elana helped with carrying the protective crates to be stacked in front of the curtain as additional protection, her arms straining under the weight. Winta was holding Bean tightly to her body while she was working, her mother somewhere outside, Omera's voice carried into the house by the breeze.

When she was finished, Elana smiled encouragingly at the gaggle of children in front of her, doing her best to not let even one crack show.

The sun set outside, and night fell fast, the sunbeams disappearing with every minute, the already dim hut becoming dark, only one flickering light in the corner left.

Quietly, Elana distributed some dinner among the children, them not being able to properly eat outside with their family, and encouraged them to share jokes, tell stories. But even if she was able to distract them for a short while, the tension hung in the air, and with every second that passed, it was slowly becoming unbearable. So much, that Elana almost started to hope for _something_ to happen.

When it did, Elana closed her eyes in dismay.

There were heavy steps, booming through the forest, the vibration of each thud echoing through the earth. When Elana pressed her palm on the floor, she could feel how the Walker was approaching. 

The children could feel it as well, and they started to exchange scared looks. 

Elana's head snapped towards the edge of the village when she could hear Cara's voice in the distance, signalling that the Mandalorian and her have returned from their skirmish. Her heart beat fast in her ribcage as she realised that this is it, that the attack of the Klantoonians was about to start at any second. 

The sounds of the Imperial Walker approaching got louder and louder, the ground shaking under the heavy machinery making its way through the forest. There was a loud sound with wood splintering and cracking, and from the sounds Elana gathered that the Walker must have broken through the treeline. 

"Okay, kids," Elana said, voice calm, and she made an effort to look every child in their eyes, smiling soothingly, "It will be loud in a while, but don't be scared, okay? You have to be just as brave as your parents, can you do that for me?"

Winta nodded resolutely, her dark brown eyes fixed on Elana's face. There was a loud thud once again, the loud voice of the shock trooper carrying across the open space. Marya and Sebby held onto each other, their little knuckles white.

"Weapons ready!" Elana could hear Cara roar, and she straightened her back, twisting her body to look over her shoulders, brows furrowed as she tried to make out where everything was, where the AT-ST could be, what was happening at all. 

It became quiet. 

The children did not make a single sound. 

Bean was frightened.

Elana was too.

She could hear hushed voices and blood rushed in her ears, too much for her to make everything out, her pulse throbbing in her head, heart in her throat. Her hold on the vibroknife tightened.

Then the Walker opened fire.

Elana could vaguely hear Cara's voice, screaming commands at the villagers, but the loud crashes of the blaster cannons hitting the huts of the villagers were deafening, and to her panic, the children started to cry. Her head whipped around and she scrambled to them as fast as possible, gently holding the hand of the child closest to her, pressing a kiss onto his hair.

"Don't be scared," she told Mers, and reached out her hand to Jennie, grabbing her hand. Bean was held securely by Winta, looking at her with big, solemn eyes, and she knew that he was fine. Giving all her attention in trying to calm the children down, Elana moved around, brushing hair out of their faces, stroking thumbs over cheeks, doing her best in appearing calm throughout the loud crashes outside.

A loud _boom_ could be heard, shouts, screams, battle cries filling the air, blaster fire and gun torrents illuminating the night.

She could not blame the children in the slightest that several started to cry, scared whimpers escaping them, tear tracks reflecting in the low light. 

Elana clutched the blaster in her hand, praying to every deity above that she would not need to use it, the vibroknife heavy on her hip, ready to be unsheathed at every moment’s notice.  
There was a loud roar, not far away from the hut, and she was standing up, ready to shield the children, barrel trained on the curtain, heart beating fast in her chest.

Steps sounded, too close for comfort, and there were loud growls and heavy breathing right next to the hut they were in. Elana did not need to turn around to see how the children were shrinking into each other, staying silent with wide, scared eyes. 

Giving the little crowd a last smile, she tugged the curtain close and moved through the stacked crates towards the entrance, her finger never leaving the trigger of the blaster.

A Klantoonian burst into the hut.

Elana fired before he could take the insides in, hitting straight in his chest. With panic, she realised that her single shot had not been good enough, that he was struggling to stand up, and she fired again. And again. Until he collapsed in the doorway, dropping with a loud _thud_.

She had no time to celebrate, though, because another one made his way in, and he was faster than the last one had been, on her before she could take aim, trying to knock the blaster out of her hands.

Elana twisted her body the same way Cara had shown, getting onto the other side of the room, away from the children. The raider snarled at her, his grey face twisted into a grimace, dark eyes filled with aggression, and she backed away, raising her blaster again and tried to fire. He ducked down and with his longer stride, he was in front of her in a matter of seconds.

The Klantoonian knocked the blaster out of her hands, the impact hurt like _hell_ but adrenaline numbed the pain to some extent. He tried to grab her arm, to slam her down, but Elana moved before he could, some instinct in her guiding her limbs.

Thinking fast, she took out the knife and stabbed him in the side as hard as she could, the act of sinking the dagger into him a far easier task than she expected. 

The raider grunted, before knocking her at the side of her head, her neck snapping to the side as she dropped, seeing stars, rolling off the impact. Locking her ankle behind his like Mando had shown her, Elana tugged as hard as she could, and the raider stumbled, meeting the floor.

Elana scrambled for purchase and climbed on top of the raider, pulling the vibroknife out with a clean tug, fingers wrapping tightly around the handle.

He howled in pain, trying to kick her, but something made her move at the last possible second, and acting on instinct, heart racing, she sunk in the knife into his neck.

The sound the raider made was horrible, a gurgled, half choked off sound, hot blood gushing over her knuckles, and Elana wanted to throw up, her stomach in her throat at the smell and the sound, a twitching body beneath her. He was still alive. 

How was he still alive?

Elana squeezed her eyes shut, and stabbed him again, to finish off the job, feeling nauseous at the garbled whimper the raider made before finally dying. 

She hoped that the children had not heard everything.

Maker, she hoped that.

The sound of blaster fire was still deafening, and Elana staggered towards the blaster lying on the side where it had been knocked away, scooping it up with shaky hands, aiming the barrel at the entrance for the possibility of another one coming in.

The ground shook outside before there was a loud splash, loud enough it could… it could be the AT-ST. Elana did not dare to hope, but when the cheers started to rise, she let out a shuddering sigh.

Was it over?

According to the loud whoops of joy, it was. 

Her knees buckled, and she caught herself with her hands, relief so deep in her bones that she could not help but slump, exhaling shakily, chest feeling so tight it hurt. Her hands were coated in dark blood, sticky and wet, and she made to wipe it off on her trousers before stopping herself. 

"Is everyone alright?" Elana called out over her back, and there was a short pause before one of the children called in affirmation.

"We're fine!"

"Don't come out yet," she said, hands shaking, "I'm fine, but stay inside still."

She could hear someone outside, shouting for the children and she moved to the side to avoid people running straight into her, her legs shaky and she felt like she had just run an entire marathon.

Dawsen shot into the hut, closely followed by Agnes, and they stopped dead as they saw her, gazes lowering to the two corpses right next to Elana.

Elana gave them a weak smile and pointed towards the curtain. "They're all safe," she managed, "we need to get them out of here so the little ones won't see."

Dawsen nodded, and gestured to the other woman. "You calm them down," he said kindly, and Agnes was already half inside the curtain when he turned to her. "Elana, come with me, get that blood off you." 

"But," she started to protest, looking over her shoulder, "Bean--"

"He will still be there after you wash your hands," Dawsen said, and reached out to help her up, firm hand on her arm. 

Elana hesitated for a last time, before nodding, and the older man led the way. On their way out, he directed two of the villagers to get the children out of the hut, careful so they would not see the corpses.

Staggering behind him, she felt the weight of what just happened sink in, starting to shake. "Was anyone injured?" Elana asked quietly to distract herself from what she had done, dreading the answer. But to her relief, Dawsen shook his head.

"No one. It's a miracle," he said, giving her a smile as he led her to the ledge of a pond, drawing up a bucket of water, "come on, wash it off."

She did, unsteady hands rinsing off the sticky blood between her fingers and over her knuckles, rubbing it off her skin the best she could. When she finished, she shot the man a shaken smile, and he clapped her on the back with sympathetic eyes, a grim look on his face.

"Let's get back to the kiddos," he said, "your little one will surely be missing you."

Elana nodded. "Okay," she whispered, desperately trying to ignore how her hands were still trembling, how it did not feel like the blood had been washed off.

The walk towards the hut with the children passed in a blur, and Elana honestly was not sure if she would have managed to find it if Dawsen was not in front of her, guiding the way. All she could think about were the two men back in the hut, those that she had killed, like she did to the bounty hunter in the market. Elana felt sick, the urge to scream welling up in her, and she had to force it down, not let any noise escape her.

 _Not now,_ she desperately tried to tell herself, a lump forming in her throat, blinking fast as they approached the little crowd that had formed around the entrance. _Not now, Lissiri, get yourself together._

Elana could spot Omera in the middle of the crowd, and in her arms-- 

Bean screeched when he saw her, little clawed hands outstretched in her direction, a distressed look on his tiny face while he squirmed in Omera’s hold. Elana quickly made her way through the people standing there, her heart aching and she did not even know how, but in the next moment the little toddler was in her arms, whimpering against her shirt. She did not cry, but it was a close thing, pressing the child as close to her as she could, shoulders trembling under the relief of holding Bean.

"You did well," she could hear Omera say as she guided her away from the attention, towards a small crate on the side of the hut, where Elana sat down, almost collapsing on top of it, her entire body shaking in the aftermath. Bean was silent, but his little claws were fisting tightly into her shirt, not letting her go.

"Thank you," Elana whispered to the woman, feeling her eyes starting to swim, feeling dizzy from the guilt and the relief and the adrenaline and the fear, "Thank you for taking care of Bean."

Omera reached out and cupped her face, making Elana look up into her kind eyes, unshed tears blurring the features of the woman in front of her. "You protected the children," Omera said, thumb brushing away the first tears that fell, "We should be thanking you."

Elana could hear her name being called, and when Omera took a step back, she looked up to see a dripping wet Cara right in front of her, who knelt right down in front of her, pulling her into a hug, mindful of the silent child who was still clinging onto her.

"I heard what happened," the shock trooper murmured, a hand gently holding the back of Elana’s head as she tried not to fall apart in Cara’s arms, "You have it in you, huh?"

"Did you take a swim?" Elana asked to distract herself from her burning eyes, gaze landing on Mando, who stood a bit further, talking quietly with Omera. He seemed to have taken a dip in the ponds as well, but he seemed uninjured, and her heart grew a bit lighter at the knowledge.

Cara snorted and leaned back, taking her face in. "Something like that," she murmured, a flicker of worry in her eyes. Elana tried to smile at the shock trooper, but it was too watery, and both of them knew it. 

Bean made a small noise, tugging at her shirt, and when Elana looked down, she was greeted with the sight of him looking up with his dark, large eyes, a slight furrow between his brows as his ears hung low.

"Hey, Bean," she whispered, and the little one whined, pressing his face in her chest, his frame slightly shaking, "I'm alright."

Cara reached out and patted Bean on his flat head, her touch gentle. "Your mama can handle herself," she said, "I taught her well."

Elana choked out a laugh at that, shoulders shaking at the smug look on her face as Cara looked up and winked at her, obviously trying to dissipate the tension, for which she was grateful. 

Bean just pressed his face further into Elana, little arms hugging her tight, and she could hear the celebration of the villagers behind them.

Mando appeared next to Cara and gave her a little nod. "Are you hurt?" 

She shook her head, fingers tightening around Bean's frame, feeling absolutely steamrolled and she wished for nothing more but to pass out for a month.

"Are _you_ alright?" Elana asked in return, eyes roaming across his frame as if she could pick up an injury through several layers of cloth and beskar, before looking at Cara as well, checking her up the best she could in the dim light. 

"Bruises, at most," Cara said flippantly, shooting her a wink, and Mando made an agreeing sound.

"The Walker is destroyed?" 

Mando nodded in confirmation. "Gotta drag it out of the ponds tomorrow."

Elana exhaled, too shaky for the two not to miss it, but they did not comment. "I'm glad," she whispered, holding Bean tight to her frame, exhausted to her bones.

Cara smiled in sympathy, and grabbed her arm, helping her up. "Come on," she said, "Let's get some spotchka."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you liked this chapter!! I'm already excited for what is to come in the next chapters and cannot wait to write and share it with you!  
> Feedback would be appreciated xx


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